To Hell With the Consequences
by PHreek-Boi
Summary: Chapter 14 now up! Naruto and Sakura make preparations for thier first date. Always Narusaku. Beware of language and mature themes.
1. Sakura

Disclaimer. I just write fanfics  
So I don't own Naruto  
So please do not sue.  
  
This is my first Naruto fanfic, and it's a Narusaku. If you are adverse to this pairing, don't read it.  
  
To Hell With the Consequences  
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
I don't love him. I don't love him. I. Do. Not. Love. Him.  
  
Then why am I making my way across town in the dead of night? I'm just going to go check on him. Yeah, that's it. Check on him.  
  
_Okay_, the voice in my head chided me. _Then what's with the cocktail dress?  
  
_I'm wearing a tight-fitting, pink chiffon cocktail dress that I bought for the party my friends threw for me. He said it looked good on me. But I'm not wearing it because he said he liked it.  
  
_Admit it, Sakura,_ the voice I've come to recognise as my dark side urged me._ You know that's not true. You're in love with him. What's so bad about Naruto anyway?_  
  
There's nothing bad about him, per se. Sure, he's a loud-mouthed braggart who always gets himself in trouble. But he's also a sweet, caring guy and a loyal friend. He's probably the best friend I've ever had, and to top it all off, he's got a great ass.  
  
Whoa, I did not just think that about Naruto.  
  
I love Saskuke. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. Not Naruto.  
  
I have to admit, when I was younger I did have a crush on him. It was back when the two of us first entered the ninja academy, well before we passed the graduation exam and became members of team seven.  
  
I was about nine at the time, I think. I was still at the stage where I thought boys had cooties, anyway. I was sitting at my desk, talking with Ino-pig and Hinata, when he came in. Just about everybody looked down their noses at him, but I couldn't help but stare. And the first time he looked at me with his cerulean eyes....  
  
Wow...  
  
Anyway, I smiled at him, and he smiled back. It was a shy smile, the kind that you give to somebody you don't know. But it made my heart melt. I think I stared at him the whole day. I remember after school that day. My mom and dad had just come to pick me up, and Naruto was sitting on the swings, watching forlornly as the other students left with their families.  
  
I asked mom why I'd never seen him around the village, and she told me to stay away from him, because he was bad news. So, of course, it made me want to spend more time with him. I brought him a special lunch from home the next day, and waited until lunchtime to give it to him. I was so happy at the look on his face when he took the package and unwrapped it, then ate every bite. He told me it was delicious, and thanked me. I tried some myself, and it was awful. But I was even more enamoured with this mysterious blond boy.  
  
Each day, I brought an extra lunch for Naruto. And he would always eat evey bite, no matter how awful it tasted. We went on like that for six months or so, before Sasuke showed up, and everything changed. Some days I wish I'd never met the dark-haired boy. He makes things so complicated.  
  
Me and Naruto drifted apart, and to impress Sasuke, I started pretending I hated the blond boy who had once intrigued me so. I always felt bad for doing it, but I wanted Sasuke's approval so badly. I never got it, of course. After nearly eight years of friendship, if you could even call it that, he still barely gives me the time of day.  
  
_Maybe that's why you love Naruto.  
_  
I don't love Naruto! I love Sasuke.  
  
_Are you trying to convince me or_ you?  
  
Dammit, why won't you listen? Me and Naruto are just friends. I mean, yeah, he's cute, and he treats me like a princess. And as long as I've known him he's always been there for me. Not to mention the fact that he's saved my life more times than I can count, and it was his tutoring that got me through the chunin exam. And whenever I see him smile, when his cerulean eyes sparkle with warmth...  
  
Not even Sasuke could live up to that.  
  
_Come on, Sakura. You _know_ I'm right. You're in love with him. Why not just admit it?  
_  
Because Naruto's my best friend, and he's really important to me. I won't risk that friendship with him.  
  
Even if I have fallen in love with him.  
  
_I knew it!  
_  
Yeah, yeah. Gloat all you want. I can't believe I never realized it before. He's always the one that's been there when I needed him. I feel like such an idiot. All the time I spent convincing myself I hated him... I'm surprised he even wants to be my friend. I knew he had a crush on me, and I stomped on his heart more times than I care to remember. And that's why I can't tell him how I feel.  
  
_It's not going to go away, you know. You should just tell him.  
  
_I know, but I just... can't. What if he doesn't feel the same way anymore? I can't tell him now. Maybe someday, but not today. I'm just going to make sure he's alright. He was pretty upset when he left this afternoon.  
  
_Whatever._  
  
His door didn't look so threatening the last time I was here. I can't do it. I should just go back home. He'll still be here in the morning. He probably doesn't want to see me. And he'd be sleeping by now.  
  
Oh, to hell with it.  
  
Come on, Naruto. Answer the door. Let me know you're alright. Don't tell me I came all this way for absolutely nothing. I need to see you!  
  
Oh my god, it's opening. I should just take off. But that'd be rude. No, I have to talk to him. Damn, what do I do?  
  
"Sakura?"  
  
Oh... My... God....  
  
Naruto opened the door, and he's only in his boxers! He just looks too good for words. His well defined musculature would drive any girl wild. And if I just shift my position ever so slightly...  
  
No, Sakura! Bad Sakura!  
  
His golden blond hair is slightly ruffled and his eyes are slightly bloodshot, which means I did wake him up. I feel so bad. I know he never sleeps well, and I've just woken him. I'm such a bitch,  
  
"Sakura?" Naruto's voice rings in my ears, startling me from my silent reviree. "Are you alright? You looked kind of dumbfounded."  
  
"It's nothing, Naruto." My voice waivered slightly, but besides that everything is going according to plan. "How are you doing?"  
  
"As well as can be expected." The pain is still obvious in his voice. It makes me want to hold him, to kiss him, to tell him it'll all be alright. "I mean, how do you think I feel? Iruka-sensei was like a father to me. I still can't believe he's gone." I think I'm going to go against my better judgement and give him a hug.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Naruto." He relaxed into my arms, hugging me himself. I can't believe how natural it feels to be in his arms. I want to tell him that I love him so much, but I can't...  
  
Oh my god! Naruto's kissing me! No, don't stop! Dammit!  
  
"I'm sorry, Sakura. I just..."  
  
Oh, to hell with the consequences. I can feel his body tense as I capture his lips with my own, savoring the taste of toothpaste and ramen on his lips.  
  
"Sakura, I-"  
  
"Naruto, I know I've always been kind of a bitch towards you. It took me a while to figure it out, but it's always been you that made my world go around. I am so completely in love with you that it hurts."  
  
His eyes are wide with shock. He's still holding me in his arms, and I love the feeling. Suddenly, his lips touch my own, just for a second, although it's somehow more satisfying and passionate than the one I gave him. "I love you too, Sakura."  
  
He loves me. I'm so happy, I feel like I might burst. This is probably the greatest day of my life.  
  
"That's a nice dress, by the way. It looks great on you." He kisses me again.  
  
"It'll look even better on your bedroom floor." His eyes widen, and I'm grinning. I can't help myself.  
  
With a grin of his own, he picks me up bridal style, closing the door with his foot as we retire to his bedroom. We'll worry what everyone else thinks in the morning.  
  
A/N: SO, what do you think? I had to write it... Read and review, and maybe I'll write more.


	2. Naruto

Disclaimer. I just write fanfics  
So I don't own Naruto  
So please do not sue.  
  
Well, I decided to write a second chapter. And most likely more. Thank you to all my reviewers. I really do appreciate your criticism.  
  
I do, however, have to make a comment. Like I said, the first chapter was Sakura's thoughts. That was all the detail I could give while sticking with the basic premise of the story. This chapter is Naruto's thoughts, so don't expect any more detail. This is just how I wanted to write it.  
  
Anyway, on with the fic! Booyah!  
  
To Hell With the Consequences  
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
Chapter Two: Naruto  
  
God dammit, I can't sleep.  
  
Every time I close my eyes, it runs through my mind, over and over. Why did he have to play a hero? If I had been more careful, Iruka-sensei might not have died. It's not fair, dammit!  
  
_Come on, now, kit,_ the voice of Kyubi murmured. _Must you be so loud with your thoughts? I'm trying to sleep._  
  
Bitch, bitch, bitch. Remember, it was my head first. I have a right to think loudly if I want. So nyah.  
  
_I don't understand why you're so upset, kit. Just because your foolish friend got himself killed, it's no reason to be so mopey.  
  
_You've got a lot to learn about people's feelings, fox. It was my fault he was killed. I was leading the assault against the Sound. I was suposed to keep everyone safe. If I hadn't let those bastards get the best of me....  
  
_My, and I thought_ I_ was the whiny one._  
  
Bite me, fox. You just don't get it. I wish Sakura was here. She always makes me feel better about my screw-ups. Unlike you. Somehow, you always make me feel worse.  
  
_Then I'm doing my job perfectly._  
  
Asshole. You know, though, I really do wish Sakura was here. Then I'd have somebody pleasant to talk to. We've gotten a lot closer since we've been team mates, and even though I wouldn't tell anybody, I still have a crush on her.  
  
_Really? I never would have guessed.  
  
_Mmm, sarcasm. Nice. Just shut up and listen, okay?  
  
_Fine, though I'll never understand what you see in that little wench.  
  
_Like I said, fox, you have to learn to respect people's feelings. You want to know what I see in Sakura? Fine. Here goes. She's nice, sweet, fun to be around, thoughtful, loyal, and she has a great sense of humor. On top of that, she's an excellent shinobi and the best friend I've ever had.  
  
Oh, and she's fucking hot. That's always a bonus.  
  
But she's in love with that ego-centric bastard Sasuke, who, I might add, isn't fit to lick her boots.  
  
The fact is, I've had a thing for Sakura since the day we met, some eight years ago. I was about nine at the time, and I'd just been accepted into the Konoha ninja academy. I was so nervous that day. It was the first time I'd ever really associated with any kids my own age. When I first entered the room, a lot of them looked at me like I was slime on their shoes. But when I caught Sakura's eye, she smiled at me.  
  
I'll never forget that smile. It made my day.  
  
Anyway, I smiled back shyly at the pink-haired girl. Throughout the day, whenever I turned my head so I could look at her, she blushed and turned her head away quickly. If I didn't know better, I'd think she had a crush on me back then. Anyway, after school that day, I hung back at the swings, watching as all the other kids left with their parents. I remember being really upset, and angry at the parents I'd never known. Most of the adults seemed to think I was bad news. I didn't find out why until much later.  
  
I remember the next morning that the Third had trouble getting me out of bed. I was in such a hurry that I had to leave without breakfast. I remember sitting there all day, barely able to concentrate. I was starving, and to top it all off I'd forgotten to grab my lunch from home. You can imagine my surprise when Sakura had come up to me and told me I could have her extra lunch. It's one of my happiest memories.  
  
When I first tasted it, it surprised me. It was terrible. But I smiled, told Sakura it was delicious, and ate every bite. She looked so happpy. I couldn't bare to tell her I didn't really like it. And so it went. Every day Sakura would bring an extra lunch, and every day, no matter how bad it was, I'd eat it all. We did everything together, even though her parents didn't like me. But then Sasuke showed up, and everything went wierd.  
  
For some reason, right off the bat Sasuke didn't like me. I mean, they told us he had been trained by his dad, and that he was at the academy because his family had been slaughtered, but it was no excuse to be a rude little shit. But right off the bat, Sakura tried to be his friend. I respect that. But he never seemed to want it. Sure, it meant she spent less and less time with me, and more and more time trying to get Sasuke to pay attention to her. I still don't understand how she could have fallen in love with Dipshit McEmotional-Cripple and not me.  
  
Over time, Sakura started acting like she hated me. It really frosted me, too. Sasuke had stolen my best friend from me, and I hated him for it. It wasn't until later I realized I didn't like him because I was in love with Sakura. It killed me to see her wasting all her time trying to get Sasuke to love her when he would barely give her the time of day. Here we are, years later, and he still treats her like dirt. She deserves better.  
  
_You mean she deserves someone like _you_, kit?  
  
_Well, yeah. But the big problem is, she loves Sasuke. Not me.  
  
_Are you sure about that, kit?  
  
_Of course I am! I mean, it's kind of obvious the way she gushes about him all the time. It makes me so angry, that she'll pour out her heart to me, then go running back to Sasuke when she gets the chance. I treat her like a princess, and she stomps on her heart. But it's worth it when I see her smile, when her eyes ligt up with unbridled joy, and she gets this adorable dimple on her cheek...  
  
I've never seen her smile like that for Sasuke.  
  
_It sounds to me like maybe she cares for you as well, kit. Why not just tell her how you feel?  
  
_Because I don't want her to hate me. We have a very special friendship, and I'm happy with that. I won't risk it for anything.  
  
Even if that means I never get a chance to be with her.  
  
_That's the worst excuse I've ever heard, kit.  
  
_If I wanted your opinion I'd ask for it. She doesn't like me that way. We're just friends. As much as I wish the ase were otherwise, it's not. Me and Sakura are just friends, and that's all we'll ever be. She's in love with a man who doesn't deserve her, and there's nothing I can do to stop it, as much as I want to.  
  
_Then don't bitch to me, kit.  
  
_Whatever. Jeez, you can be such an ass sometimes.  
  
_It's what I do best.  
  
_What's that? Somebody's knocking? Damn, who's gonna come over at two in the morning? Maybe I should just stay in bed.  
  
No, that'd be rude. I wonder who it is? Probably just Shikamaru again. Damn, he gets thrown out of his place once a week now. I told him it was a mistake to move in with Ino so soon. Wait a second... Pink hair? But that means...  
  
"Sakura?" She's staring at me with this odd sort of look in her eyes. Sort of like the one she had on her face when she walked in on Shikamaru and Ino having sex in the bathroom at Ichiraku. Except instead of disgust, the look on her face looks like... Awe?  
  
She looks great. Holy shit, she's wearing that pink chiffon dress again... Oh man...  
  
"Sakura?" She jumped. Man, she's cute when she's startled. Of course, she's cute all the time. "Are you alright? You looked kind of dumbfounded."  
  
"It's nothing, Naruto." Her voice waivered slightly, almost like she's hiding something. I wonder what it is. Probably come to cry about Sasuke again. "How are you doing?" Say what? She came here to check on me? What's going on?  
  
"As well as can be expected." It's hard to hide the pain in my voice. I'm still so upset about Iruka. "I mean, how do you think I feel? Iruka-sensei was like a father to me. I still can't believe he's gone." She's chewing on her lip now. It's one of her cuter qualities. Hey, wait a sec. She's hugging me?  
  
"I'm so sorry, Naruto." This is nice. I mean, it's not the first time she's hugged me. But right now it seems so intimate. I wish I could kiss her, but I can't. It might ruin our friendship.  
  
Oh, to hell with the consequences.  
  
She stiffened as soon as my lips touched hers. But when I pulled back, she looked almost... disappointed?  
  
"I'm sorry, Sakura. I just..."  
  
I didn't even finsh my sentence before she kissed me. And it wasn't a friendly kiss, either. It was deep, passionate, and it made my whole body tingle. I need to find out what's going on.  
  
"Sakura, I-"  
  
"Naruto, I know I've always been kind of a bitch towards you. It took me a while to figure it out, but it's always been you that made my world go around. I am so completely in love with you that it hurts."  
  
She...  
  
She loves me?  
  
She loves me!  
  
Sakura loves me!!  
  
I lean forward, barely touching her lips with my own, but somehow it's the most passionate so far, like a promise of things to come. "I love you too, Sakura."  
  
Her eyes light up, and she gives me that special smile I've always known was just for me. This has got to be the best thing that's ever happened to me.  
  
"That's a nice dress, by the way. It looks great on you." We kissed again.  
  
"It'll look even better on your bedroom floor." My eyes widen with shock, and she grins mischeviously. This is turning out even better then I hoped.  
  
So I sweep her into my arms bridal style, and I push the door shut with my foot as I carry her into my bedroom. Whatever happens tonight, we'll deal with in the morning.  
  
A/N: So, by popular demand, here's chapter two. It's pretty similar to the first chapter, which just goes to show you how in sync two people can be when they're really in love. Read and review. If you're nice, I'll write more. Even flames are appreciated. Thanks.


	3. Waking Up Next to You

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..  
  
Chapter three, ready for your enjoyment. Again, thanks to all of you who reviewed, especially to Kiyana Va Sala, Bass Clef, and TheGreatAnimeFan. You guys were the ones that inspired me.  
  
I've been getting a lot of good feedback. I love you guys. You're my heroes. All of you.  
  
Anyway, here comes chapter three. Enjoy.  
  
To Hell With the Consequences   
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
Chapter Three: Waking Up Next to You  
  
Wow. Just... Wow.  
  
I can't believe we just did that. But we really did. And it was amazing.  
  
I kinda expected all that extra energy Naruto had would transfer into the bedroom, but I wasn't expecting anything like that. I mean, sure it was both of our first times, but I can definitely say that nobody else could ever come close to measuring up to that. He's still asleep. I can't really blame him, either. Poor guy's exausted. And he's cute when he's asleep.  
  
I pressed a kiss to his forehead, and now he's smiling. I can't believe I went so long without him. Although, in retrospect, I never could imagine life without him. But after last night, that statement takes on a whole new meaning.  
  
_No kidding,_ my inner self teased._ Considering you two just had sex and all, your relationship is certainly going to be different._  
  
Yeah, I know. But it's a good kind of different, I think. I know that it was certainly worth the risk.  
  
_Just like I said. You should really listen to me more often.  
  
_I have no choice but to bow to you in complete submission.  
  
_'Bout time.  
  
_You woukln't believe how good it feels to be here, next to Naruto. I'd be happy forever if we could just stayu in this exact moment, just like we are now for the rest of our lives. To think, all this time that nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach Naruto caused was love. I'll tell you one thing. I know I never felt like this towards Sasuke.  
  
_I can't wait to see the look on his face when he finds out you and Naruto hooked up.  
  
_Want to know a secret? Neither can I. I hope he's crushed. God knows he deserves it, after all the bullshit he's pulled. Oh, I don't really mean that. He's still important to me as a friend. But just once I'd love to see that heartbroken look he's inflicted so many times on his face for once.  
  
_Heh. You're my hero.  
  
_I'm honored. Really.  
  
_What about your parents? Aren't they gonna be pissed?  
  
_Shit. I never thought of that. My parents still think Naruto's trouble. When I tell them we're together they're gonna freak. They'll disown me! I'm screwed!  
  
_It was worth it, wasn't it?  
  
_Oh hell yeah. I know they'll react badly, but I won't not be with Naruto. Mom and Dad can scream till they're faces are blue if they want. The fact is, I'm with Uzumaki Naruto for better or for worse.  
  
_Uzumaki Sakura has a nice ring to it._  
  
You're right. It kinda does. But I'm not ready to even consider settling down. I mean, yeah, I love Naruto, but we're way to young to even consider getting married.  
  
I can't wait to tell everyone we hooked up!  
  
Hinata's going to be sooo jealous! She only just admitted she had feelings for Naruto. Not that it wasn't obvious in the way she loses touch with reality whenever he walks into a room. It's kind of sad, really.  
  
_Hi pot. I'm kettle. You're black._  
  
What is that supposed to mean?  
  
_Think about it. How'd you used to act whenever you saw Sasuke?  
  
_...  
  
Oh my god, you're right. Ugh, I was really one of his obsessed stalker- slash-fangirls, wasn't I? How could Naruto put up with me all this time? He's such a sweet guy, and he deserves a lot better than me. But all the same, I know he's as glad we're together as I am. God, I sooo don't deserve him.  
  
"Mmm... Hey Sakura-chan." Naruto's awake? This early? Naruto's never awake this early, unless he has a mission. Wait, did he just call me Sakura-chan? That's so adorable!  
  
"Morning, Naruto-kun." Wow, that sounded so... clumsy.  
  
"I'd rather you just called me Naruto." If someone could bottle that smile, they'd make millions. He looks so gorgeous when he smiles like that. And he only smiles like that for me...  
  
I feel so special.  
  
"Naruto." It feels so natural when he kisses me, like now. I'm so glad we're together... "Last night was... wow."  
  
"Yeah." You know, if he was smiling any wider, he'd probably pull muscles. "It really was, wasn't it?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm." He's nothing like the Naruto I thought I knew. It turns out, deep down, he's the same Naruto I had a crush on when I was nine. I guess that makes sense, though. He's gazing out the window now, a cute little half-smile dancing across his lips.  
  
"Check out the sunrise, Sakura-chan." The almost musical baritone of his voice once again startled me. I really have to stop staring at him. "I don't think I've ever seen one quite like it. It's beautiful, don't you think?"  
  
He's right. There are so many colors in the sky, and it all blends together to create a truly breathtaking view. "It's amazing."  
  
"It can't even begin to hold a candle to you, though." That's so sweet! Cheesy, but sweet. I can feel my face heating up. "My, Sakura-chan, are you blushing?" I know what'll take his mind off me blushing.  
  
He didn't look surprised when I kissed him. He didn't even look surprised when I started sucking on his tongue. He did, however, look surprised when I bit down.  
  
"Whay'd you do that, Sakura-chan?" He's pouting now. And it's a full-blown, teary-eyed, puppydog pout. I don't know how long I can hold out.  
  
"Don't tease me." My voice had this thick, sugary sweetness about it, and Naruto grinned at me playfully. "I should really head home, Naruto. My parents'll be up soon, and they'll be pissed if I'm not home."  
  
"Aww." He's pouting again, though there's a mischevious glint to his eyes. "But what about 'breakfast'?" The playful note to his voice leaves no question as to what kind of 'breakfast' he wants.  
  
"Sorry, Naruto. I really can't." I feel so bad. He looks upset.  
  
"Alright." His voice sounds resigned. "Come by later?" You can't stay, Sakura. No matter how cute he is, your parents'll be pissed if you're not home. Think of the consequences!  
  
I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  
  
"On second thought, Naruto, 'breakfast' sounds great."  
  
To hell with the consequences.  
  
Besides, what's a couple more hours anyway?  
  
A/N: And chapter three draws to a close. I do plan on writing more... One more chapter like this, then I'm going to switch to a third person narrative, and the story will really begin. As always, read and review and you'll get the next chapter sooner. 


	4. A Dream Come True

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..  
  
Once again, I'd like to thank you all for your reviews. Being told over and over again that my story is worth continuing really makes me feel good about my writing ability. One reviewer told me this story was too good to not continue.  
  
So to all of my fans, I dedicate this chapter to you.  
  
Once again, this is pretty much a rewrite of chapter three from Naruto's point of view. Next chapter I'll get to the real story. So, enjoy.  
  
To Hell With the Consequences   
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
Chapter Four: A Dream Come True  
  
_Well, kit. I must say, I'm impressed._  
  
Nngg... wha? Kyubi? I was sleeping, you know.  
  
_How can you be asleep with your lady love next to you?  
  
_I'm tired, jackass. Last night was exausting. Really exausting. Who would have thought I'd have it in me? God, how many times did we go, anyway?  
  
_I lost count at seven.  
  
_Really? That many? I am the man. I gotta admit, though, I never thought me and Sakura would end up here. Of course I always hoped we would. At least since I turned fifteen. It's an amazing feeling, waking up next to the woman you love. And I can't think of another time when I was so happy.  
  
Heh. Sakura thinks I'm still asleep. My forehead's tingling where she just kissed me. It filled with the same warmth and tenderness I'd shown to her over the years. I bet she's wondering how she ever lived without me.  
  
_A little full of ourself, are we?  
  
_Pshht. Like you know anything, fox. Come on, we just had sex. And I know for a fact that she expressed her enjoyment more than once.  
  
_You realize that now you two can't be just friends anymore, right?  
  
_Yeah. To be honest, it scares me a little. I mean, what if I blow it? What's going to happen then? Like you said, sfter something as big as this, we can't go back to being friends.  
  
_The question is, kit, was it worth it?_  
  
Totally. If I could go back in time and do it again, I would. A thousand times over. I love Sakura, and I want to be with her.  
  
_Then be with her.  
  
_What? No snippy comeback? Jeez, fox, you're losing your edge. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how utterly fantastic I feel, just laying next to her. I can honestly say there hasn't been a time more perfect than this in my life. Ever. If I could have one wish, it'd be that we could stay here, in this moment, forever.  
  
_That's so sweet. I think I may be ill.  
  
_Gee, thanks fox. Nice to know my happiness sickens you.  
  
_Oh, you're very welcome. Say, kit, how do you think people will react when they hear you two are together?  
  
_I really don't know. I hope Sasuke's pissed. Or, even better, that he cries. God knows that bastard deserves it, after what he put Sakura-chan through. For once I want to a hurt look on his face, so I can tell him to suck it up and get out of my face.  
  
_You've grown a backbone. I'm impressed.  
  
_Oh, joy of joys. I've always wanted to gain your approval. Just like I've always wanted to have a tooth pulled without any sort of anaesthetic.  
  
_What of her parents? It's been my experience that human parents react poorly to their daughter losing her virginity, especially to a boy they don't like._  
  
You know what? You're a buzz killer. Sakura-chan could get in a lot of trouble because of me. For sure her parents aren't gonna be hapy we're seeing one another. And if they find out about last night, well, I'll probably end up stuffed and mounted over their mantle. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Me and Sakura are together, and they can't do anything to change that.  
  
_Uzumaki Sakura has a nice ring to it.  
  
_Well, yeah, it kinda does. But I don't think I'm ready to get married. I'm only seventeen. That kind of commitment would require someone of a much higher maturity level then I possess.  
  
Man, I can't wait to tell the guys that me and Sakura-chan hooked up.  
  
Lee's gonna be mad. He's had a crush on Sakura-chan for as long as I've known him. Shikamaru will probably tell him I'm doomed, and that a relationship is 'more trouble than it's worth.' But he has a right to be jaded. I mean, he is living with Ino, after all.  
  
I can barely stand it. I know it's early, but Sakura-chan probably has to take off soon, and I wouldn't want to miss out on my good morning kiss.  
  
"Mmm... Hey Sakura-chan." She seems surprised that I'm awake. I guess I'm a better actor then I thought. She looks so cute when she's startled. Man, I can't believe we're together.  
  
"Morning, Naruto-kun." Okay, that just didn't sound right.  
  
"I'd rather you just called me Naruto." I've always been just Naruto to Sakura-chan. I like it that way, so why change things? So I smile at her, and she smiles back, shyly.  
  
It's great to know I have such an effect on her.  
  
"Naruto." I love kissing Sakura-chan, just like I am now. It just feels so natural. "Last night was... wow."  
  
"Yeah." You know, if I was smiling any wider, I'd probably pull muscles. And the shy smile on Sakura's face is driving me crazy! "It really was, wasn't it?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm." My god, she's hot. If I don't find something to distract me, I might just have to act on the urges my hormone-riddled body is encouraging my to. Wow, that's a beautiful sunrise.  
  
"Check out the sunrise, Sakura-chan." She jumped when I spoke. Startled her again. Could she get any cuter? But she seemed pretty caught up in me. Like I said, I'm glad I can have such an effect on her. "I don't think I've ever seen one quite like it. It's beautiful, don't you think?"  
  
She really seems entranced by the sunrise. It's like the universe put it there, just for us. "It's amazing."  
  
"It can't even begin to hold a candle to you, though." My god, was that ever cheesy. Hey, is she blushing? She is! "My, Sakura-chan, are you blushing?"  
  
Okay, she's kissing me now. I'm surprised that she's not mad at me. I... Oh, wow. She's sucking on my tongue. I can't believe she's sucking my... Ow! She bit me!  
  
"Whay'd you do that, Sakura-chan?" Time for the Uzumaki super-secret weapon. The puppydog pout. No girls can resist the puppydog.  
  
"Don't tease me." Her voice has this thick, sugary sweetness to it that clearly broadcasts the message 'don't fuck with me', "I should really head home, Naruto. My parents'll be up soon, and they'll be pissed if I'm not home."  
  
"Aww." Time to try the puppydog again. Maybe this time it'll win out. "But what about 'breakfast'?" I can see in her eyes that she knows exactly what kind of breakfast I'm in the mood for.  
  
"Sorry, Naruto. I really can't." Ooh, shot down. This sucks.  
  
"Alright." She looks like she feels guilty "Come by later?" I wish she would stay, but she has a point about her parents. I wouldn't want her to get in trouble because of me.  
  
Suddenly, her eyes glimmer misheviously.  
  
"On second thought, Naruto, 'breakfast' sounds great."  
  
She's staying? I guess she feels the same way about consequences as I do.  
  
Besides, what's a couple more hours anyway?  
  
A/N: Chapter four, ticked off. I figured since I've already gotten twelve reviews for chapter three, I might as well post this now. The next chapter will be in the third person, so it may take a couple of days. Until it's up, enjoy! 


	5. Overreaction

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..  
  
As promised, this chapter will be the actual start to the story. The last four chapters were just the lead up... And there will be more chapters later that follow the same format. The story's finally going to have a plot! Hurrah!  
  
Thank you too all of my reviewers. I really appreciate your feedback. Keep it up, and I'll keep writing.  
  
Somebody asked me if I thought Naruto and Sakura were too young to have sex. The answer is no. Considering in the Naruto manga, they're considered adults as soon as they graduate from the academy. They're seventeen, and I think that's plenty old enought to have a serious relationship.  
  
I hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter as much as this guy enjoyed writing it.  
  
To Hell With the Consequences   
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
Chapter Five: Overreaction  
  
"Naruto, I really have to go," Sakura giggled, pushing on his shoulders to get his lips away from her neck. "My parents are really going to be upset with me."  
  
"Aww," Naruto replied, a playful smirk crossing his face. "But watching you get dressed is nowhere near as interesting as watching you get undressed."  
  
"Of course you'd think that way, pervert." Sakura punched Naruto in the shoulder playfully. "But you wouldn't be my Naruto if you didn't." She pressed her lips to his, lingering there for a moment. "Now I really need to get dressed."  
  
"Alright, alright," Naruto sighed in mock-defeat. "I'm sorry about your dress, by the way. I'll get it fixed."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Sakura replied, smiling gently. "It was as much my fault as yours. And besides, I'm pretty handy with a needle and thread."  
  
"Alright, fine," Naruto smiled. "I've got some old clothes that should fit you. As long as you don't mind cast-offs, that is."  
  
"I don't mind." Sakura stood, stretching. Naruto watched as she moved around the room, collecting her various undergarments. "Naruto, have you seen my bra?"  
  
"On the lamp," Naruto replied, standing himself. He took a black t-shirt and a pair of dark blue track pants out of his closet, tossing them on his bed beside Sakura. Then, without a second thought, he walked out into the kitchen in the buff, bending over to stick his head in the fridge. "Hey, Sakura-chan, are you hungry?"  
  
"A little," Sakura admitted, pulling the t-shirt over her head. It was pretty clost to bang on as far as size went. Plus, it smelled like Naruto. The track pants were a different story, a couple of sizes too big. But they worked well enough. "What've you got?"  
  
"I have bread... bacon... eggs.... milk... bran flakes... That's about all."  
  
"Bacon and eggs would be great." Naruto took the eggs and bacon out of the fridge, retrieving two frying pans from the cupboard. "Scrambled Eggs alright?" he asked.  
  
"Sure," Sakura replied, now standing in his bathroom as she brushed her hair. "Do you have any coffee?"  
  
"It's already on." Naruto set about cooking, and after a few minutes he and Sakura were seated at his tiny table eating their breakfast.  
  
"Do you always eat breakfast naked?" Sakura asked, grinning mischeviously.  
  
"Normally," Naruto nodded.  
  
"Mmm. I'll have to join you more often, then." She leaned forward to kiss him once again. "I have to get going."  
  
"Alright." Naruto collected the dishes, taking them into the kitchen before joining her at the door. "Hey, how about you meet me at Ichiraku for lunch? Then we can tell everyone the good news."  
  
"Okay, sure," Sakura agreed. "I'll invite Ino, Shikamaru, and Hinata. I have to go by their houses on my way home anyway."  
  
"Alright, I'll take care of Lee, Neji, and Kakashi-sensei." Naruto kissed her again. "See you then, Sakura-chan."  
  
"Bye," Sakura said, smiling shyly as she stepped out the door, leaving Naruto alone.

-----

"Sorry I'm late, Hokage-sama," Naruto said hastily. "I was kind of busy."  
  
"It's alright, Naruto," Tsunade said off-handedly. "We don't have anything too important to deal with today. I understand you're still pretty upset about Iruka-san's death, and I think you should take some time off."  
  
"A vacation sounds great," Naruto agreed. "How long were you thinking?"  
  
"I should think that an appropriate leave would be about a month." Tsunade smiled gently. "You've done a lot for Konoha lately. You deserve the time off if anybody does."  
  
"A month?" Naruto repeated. "Are you serious?"  
  
"Absolutely." Tsunade smiled again. "And you'll still get paid for it. Consider it manditory stress leave."  
  
"Thanks, Tsunade." Naruto took a seat in one of the chairs. "I'm sure I can think of something to do that'll waste time for a month."  
  
"I'm sure you can." Tsunade smiled devilishly. "Jiraiya tells me he spotted Sakura at your apartment this morning, and she was wearing some of your old cast-offs. Might I ask what happened?" Naruto's eyes widened, and he could feel beads of cold sweat on his face.  
  
"Um, well, you see," he began, grasping at straws. "Um, she turned up at my place last night to see how I felt after Iruka's funeral. We got to talking about things, and before we knew it it was morning. As for her clothes, I spilled orange jice on her and she needed to change."  
  
"Talked, eh?" Tsunade could tell from Naruto's expression he was lying. "That's nice."  
  
"Well, hokage-sama, if we're done here, I should be on my way." Naruto stood up, still looking quite nervous.  
  
"Go ahead, Naruto." Tsunade smiled after he turned to leave the room. "Tell Sakura I said I'm happy for you two, and that it's about damn time." Naruto froze, then sighed defeatedly before turning to fix Tsunade with a smug smirk.  
  
"I will."

-----  
  
"Sakura? Is that you?" the voice of Sakura's mother asked.  
  
"Yes, mom, it's me," Sakura replied with a sigh. She had hoped her parents might still be asleep.  
  
"Where were you?" her father asked gruffly, appearing out of the sitting room. "We were worried sick!"  
  
"I was out with a friend, daddy," Sakura mumbled, her cheeks flushing slightly.  
  
"You mean that Uchiha boy?" her father said proudly. "It's about time. Are you two dating now?":  
  
"No, it wasn't Sasuke," Sakura said, flushing darker.  
  
"Ah, then it must be Rock Lee. I always liked him, you know."  
  
"No, daddy. It wasn't Lee-san." Her father looked dubious. Her mother was wide eyed, one hand held to her lips.  
  
"Tell me it's Hyuga Neji," her father demanded.  
  
"No, daddy. It wasn't Neji, or Shikamaru, or Kiba either. I was with Naruto, okay? Naruto!" Sakura immediately regretted yelling at her father. His face was turning redder and redder as time passed, and Sakura knew it was about to get bad.  
  
"You were with Uzumaki Naruto," he said calmly. "Well, I know you two are friends. As long as that's all, it's fine." Sakura looked down at her feet, her face almost the same shade of red as her favorite dress. "No, no, no, no, no. You cannot be involved with that Uzumaki boy. Friends is one thing, but I absolutely FORBID you to date him!"  
  
"But daddy..."  
  
"Don't you 'but daddy' me, Sakura. I said you can't see him, so you WILL NOT see him!"  
  
"Daddy, I love Naruto! He's not the person you think he is! He's sweet, and caring, and he'd never let anything bad happen to me! The only reason you don't like him is because the Fourth Hokage sealed Kyubi in him when he was a baby! He's not a bad person! And... and if you can't see past that, and let me be happy... That's just too bad." Sakura was in tears by the end of her spiel, and her father looked furious.  
  
"Get out," he growled, turning away from her. "Just... Get out. As far as I'm concerned I have no daughter."  
  
"Fine," Sakura returned resolutely. "If that's what it takes, fine. I'll leave. I'll go stay with Naruto. I just hope some day you can accept him."  
  
"I said GET OUT! NOW!" Without another word, Sakura stomped out the door, slamming it behind her.  
  
A/N: Okay, well, there's chapter five. Done. Finito. Read, review, and you'll get chapter six faster. Until next time, enjoy.


	6. Thinking it Over

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..  
  
Holy hell 58 reviews. I've broken the 50 mark! Huzzah! You love me. You really love me!  
  
One reviewer asked me what father would react to a situation the way Sakura's did in the last chapter. The answer is, plenty. My dad's one example. But that's not important.  
  
As far as Iruka's death goes, as far as I am aware it is my own embellishment. Just like Naruto being a Jounin at seventeen, and several other embellishments that I will reveal later.  
  
Here's chapter six, Sakura's dad's thoughts during and after his fight with his daughter.  
  
To Hell With the Consequences   
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
Chapter Six: Thinking it Over  
  
"Sakura? Is that you?" I hope it's Sakura. When I got up this morning and she wasn't here, I was terrified. I hope she's alright. If she's not, I don't know what I'll do.  
  
"Yes, mom, it's me." It is her. Thank goodness. But still, I wonder where she was?  
  
"Where were you?" I can't let her know I'm relieved. If she figures that out, she's beaten me. I'll lose all of my power as a father. "We were worried sick!" I sound good and mad. And Sakura looks like she's worried I might yell at her. Ha ha! The illusion is complete. Now to figure out what she was up to.  
  
"I was out with a friend, daddy." I barely heard her, and now she's blushing. She's either really embarrassed, or really nervous at how I'll react. I don't know why. It's not like I'm going to get angry and kick her out, or make fun of her. Wait, she's hiding something! She has a boyfriend! That's gotta be it! I've got this dad thing down pat.  
  
"You mean that Uchiha boy?" It's impossible to hide the pride in my voice. I mean, really. Whay dad isn't going to be happy when he finds out his daughter's snagged one of the richest and most powerful Shinobi in the village? Not me. "It's about time. Are you two dating now?" I hope she says yes.  
  
"No, it wasn't Sasuke." She's still blushing. Actually, if it's possible, I think she's flushing darker than before. Okay, so she's not dating Sasuke. What other acceptable guys does she know? It can't be Shikamaru, because he's seeing that Ino girl. Wait, I know!  
  
"Ah, then it must be Rock Lee. I always liked him, you know." Sure, he's kind of ugly, but he's a powerful shinobi, and a very respectable young man. I really do think he's a nice kid. Sure, my daughter may not have hit the jackpot as far as it goes, but as long as she's happy I'm glad.  
  
"No, daddy. It wasn't Lee-san." Okay, she's not seeing Lee. Well, that's good. I wouldn't want ugly grandkids. But there's not many acceptable choices left. You know, she seems kind of agitated. She should realize by now it's my right as a father to interrogate her. Still, I'm starting to worry...  
  
"Tell me it's Hyuga Neji." That came off as more of a demand as I meant it to. I hope it's Neji. If she were to marry into the Hyuga clan, we'd all be set. Come on, Kami, show me Neji!  
  
"No, daddy. It wasn't Neji, or Shikamaru, or Kiba either. I was with Naruto, okay? Naruto!" Did... Did she just say Naruto? What the hell does she mean, she was with Naruto? That son of a bitch has corrupted my little girl! I have to put a stop to this. I am NOT going to let her throw everything away for that pockmark on the face of society.  
  
"You were with Uzumaki Naruto." Don't lose your temper. Just stay calm. Don't do anything rash. They're friends. There's not necessarily anything more to it. I hope I was wrong about the boyfriend thing. "Well, I know you two are friends. As long as that's all, it's fine." What the hell? She's blushing? She shouldn't be blushing. Not if they're just friends. But that means... "No, no, no, no, no. You cannot be involved with that Uzumaki boy. Friends is one thing, but I absolutely FORBID you to date him!"  
  
1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.. 6.. 7.. 8.. 9..  
  
"But daddy..."  
  
9.. 8.. 7.. 6.. 5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..  
  
"Don't you 'but daddy' me, Sakura. I said you can't see him, so you WILL NOT see him!" Okay... Brath in, breath out. Relax. You can handle this. Just stay calm.  
  
"Daddy, I love Naruto! He's not the person you think he is! He's sweet, and caring, and he'd never let anything bad happen to me! The only reason you don't like him is because the Fourth Hokage sealed Kyubi in him when he was a baby! He's not a bad person! And... and if you can't see past that, and let me be happy... That's just too bad." What the hell? She LOVES him? Loves HIM? That tears it. It's time for desperate measures. She's gone too far.  
  
"Get out." I refuse to feel bad. She's brought this upon herself. "Just... Get out. As far as I'm concerned I have no daughter." Harsh, but necessary.  
  
"Fine." Sakura's standing up to me? What the hell?. "If that's what it takes, fine. I'll leave. I'll go stay with Naruto. I just hope some day you can accept him." What has that boy done to Sakura? It doesn't matter anyway. She's made her decision. Now I'll make my point.  
  
"I said GET OUT! NOW!" Sakura tossed me one last furious glare, then stomped out the door slamming it behind her. Good. I don't give a rat's ass anyway. Let her have her Naruto. I don't care anymore. I gave her a roof over her head and food for the last seventeen years, and she goes and throws it in my face so she can run off to be with Him  
  
Where could I have gone wrong? I was a good father, wasn't I? What did I do to merit this? It's because I used to push Tetsuo into the mud when we were in the academy, wasn't it? Now he's come back to inflict his son upon me, masquarading as a poor choice on Sakura's behalf. It's not fair, dammit.  
  
Maybe I was too hard on her. I mean, it could be worse, right? She could have gotten involved with that creepy Gaara kid. Or the one with the bugs. I think Shino is his name. I'm glad it's not him. I hate bugs. In retrospect, I guess that Naruto's not that bad.  
  
What am I saying? He's the vessel of the demon fox, Kyubi! He's a danger to Konoha, and to Sakura! What if he loses control? Konoha village is doomed! We should have just killed him when he was a baby. Then I wouldn't be having this problem. It's all his fault.  
  
"Dear, don't you think you were a little hard on her?" My wife may have a point. I could have just locked her in her bedroom until she got over this silly little crush. But she still yelled at me. She defied me. I was completely justified in my actions.  
  
"No." I'm surprised at how harsh that sounded. "Sakura refuses to listen to reason. You heard what she said. I forbade her to date Him, and she threw it back in my face!" I will not feel bad. I did what I had to.  
  
"She's your daughter! Doesn't that mean anything to you?" My daughter? Maybe. But I refuse to go back on what I said. Sakura wants to be free to make her own decisions? That's fine, but she can do it without my support.  
  
"She made her choice, and I made mine." That came off as standoffish. She doesn't understand what's going on in my head. I made a decision, and like it or not I'm gonna stick to it.  
  
Regardless of the consequences.  
  
Oh god, what have I done?  
  
A/N: Another kinda short chapter, I know, but it was begging to be written. I hope you all enjoy it. Read and review! I'll be back soon with Chapter 7! 


	7. You Can Always Count On Me

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..  
  
Time for the seventh chapter! Hooray! I promise it'll be better than the last one.  
  
You know, finding out this was one reviewer's favorite Narusaku really made my day. But I thank all of my reviewers. You guys rock!  
  
To Hell With the Consequences   
Written by PHreek-Boi  
  
Chapter Seven: You Can Always Count on Me  
  
As soon as the door slammed shut, Sakura broke into a run. Tears now flowed freely down her cheeks, and she hardly paid attention to where she was going. She barely heard the aggrivated yells of other citizens as she chrged through town. She finally collapsed in a sobbing heap on the bridge she had met her sensei and teammates at so many times.  
  
She came here a lot to think, because it was one place she felt strangely comfortable. Nobody would bother her, so she was free to sit on the railing and stare out over the river below. Soon enough, whenever she ended up here, she would eventually start to feel more at peace. Sakura drew a long shuddering breath, trying to stem the unending flow of tears that dribbled from her eyes and stained her face.  
  
She closed her eyes, leaning back against the railing. "Naruto's saved the village more times than I can remember," Sakura said out loud, to nobody in particular. "Why do mom and daddy hate him so much? It's not like he goes on violent killing sprees at the drop of a hat. He's a great guy! How can nobody see it?"  
  
"Rose colored glasses," another voice responded. "They see the world the way they want to. It doesn't matter how good or bad things are. People are always going to have their preconceptions, and unfortunately, that means they aren't necessarily going to like everyone you do."  
  
"How long have you been there?" Sakura asked, standing and wiping tears away from her face. She didn't want him to see her cry. He was seated on the opposite railing.  
  
"Long enough to know that you're miserable," her companion replied. "Want to tell me what happened?"  
  
"My parents threw me out of the house." Sakura sniffed back a stray tear. "Daddy freaked out when I told him about what happened last night. I don't know why he got so upset. It could have been a lot worse, right? Like, for example, I could be seeing somebody like Gaara of the Desert. At least then his fears about my boyfriend being a monster would be founded in fact."  
  
"Boyfriend?" A smile crossed his face. "I'm kind of surprised to hear that coming from you."  
  
"Why?" Sakura quirked an eyebrow, her lips curling into a frown. It was obvious his words had confused her. "I mean, it's kind of obvious, right? There were some things that happened last night that don't exactly fall into the bounds of 'just friends'. I don't think we can ever be 'just friends' again."  
  
"Well, it was worth it, right?" Sakura nodded, a shadow of a smile crossing her face.  
  
"It was. I've never felt more at peace with myself then I do when we're together." She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "It's like nothing else matters. Nothing can really bring me down as long as I have you."  
  
Naruto smiled. "I feel exactly the same way about you, Sakura-chan," he said, moving so he could sit down next to her. "So your parents threw you out, huh? That kinda blows."  
  
"Well, it was mostly my father," Sakura admitted. "I told him I was in love with you, and he blew up. He had the nerve to forbid me to see you. Can you believe it?" Sakura sniffed back more tears. "The fact that daddy threw me out doesn't bother me as much as the fact that he hates you without even really knowing you."  
  
"A lot of people hate me," Naruto shrugged. "I don't let it bother me that much. People are going to hate me because Yondaime sealed the fox in me when I was a baby. It's something I grew up with, and I wouldn't feel quite right if nobody hated me. Does that make sense?"  
  
"Not really." Sakura frowned. "Of course, there isn't a lot you say that makes sense when it comes right down to it. But I guess I get where you're coming from. It'd be like Sasuke suddenly being all friendly, or you not pulling childish pranks on people. Life just wouldn't be the same." Sakura tapped a finger against her lips. "Sound about right?"  
  
"Yeah, pretty much." Naruto smiled his winning smile again, which made Sakura want to melt. "Come on, Sakura. Don't be so upset just because of me. I'm used to it by now. There's not a lot I can do to change it, so why worry?"  
  
"It still sucks," Sakura sulked. "And I'm still going to wish everyone could see you the way I do. I wish every one of them could see the real Naruto, a sweet, kind, caring guy with a great personality and a body to match." Sakura finally smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing a bit. "You know, the guy I fell in love with."  
  
"Know what, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked. "The world would be a hell of a lot nicer if more people were like you." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "But there aren't many people like that. I have the respect of the people that really matter to me, and on top of that I have you. The only things in life that matters are the people who are there when it really counts. Everybody else can bite my hairy white ass."  
  
"Damn, Naruto," Sakura said, her shy smile turning mischevious. "When did you get so smart?"  
  
"Picked it up as I went along," Naruto shrugged, smiling back. "It was bound to happen eventually, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess," Sakura replied. "I'm serious, though. You've really matured over the past few years. I guess I just never really noticed."  
  
"Not many people do." Naruto stood, brushing off his pants and offering a hand to Sakura. "See, for the most part I'm the same brash, annoying prankster I've always been. But there's also a part of me that's still the same shy kid I was the first day I started at the academy." Sakura took his proffeured hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet.  
  
"I figured that out," Sakura admitted. "I really don't know how I could have missed it before. But that whole 'Number One loudest ninja in Konoha' thing was just an act to hide that depressed little boy."  
  
"Well, yeah," Naruto admitted. "I guess I always thought people wouldn't like me if I was myself, because they all looked down on me. So I started being the prank-pulling jackass to try and impress them." Naruto sighed. "I didn't want anyone to know I was weak. But when I found out the reason everyone hated me was because of the Kyubi, it hurt. A whole hell of a lot. But then Iruka saved my like, and told Mizuki I wasn't just the demon fox, I was Uzumaki Naruto, a citizen of Konoha village. That's when I figured out it didn't matter who hated me, just as long as there were people who believed in me." Naruto smiled slightly, leaning forward to kiss Sakura. "People like you."  
  
"You want to know a secret?" Sakura whispered, hugging Naruto around the neck. "I had a crush on that shy little boy I saw for the first time at the academy that first day. I thought he had beautiful eyes, and when he smiled at me, I felt like I was the most important person in the world." Naruto's hands made their way to Sakura's hips, pulling her closer to him, and her head rested on his shoulder.  
  
"You should feel that way," Naruto murmured, closing his eyes. "You're the most important person in my world. You're my sun, moon, and stars, all rolled into one." He leaned forward to kiss her again. "And are you as amazed at how ccorny that sounded as I am?"  
  
"It was corny," Sakura agreed, pressing her lips to his, not wanting the divine contact to end. "But it was also really sweet." She turned her head to look out over the village, sighing. "I love you so much. I don't know how I could have ignored my feelings for so long. It must have been horrible for you."  
  
"It did kinda suck," Naruto admitted, smiling. "But it's in the past. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you'll never get anywhere if you keep living in the past. You and I are together now, so it doesn't matter what might have happened between us back then. Being here, now, with you is what matters. No point in worrying about something you can't change."  
  
"You've got a point," Sakura agreed. "It still bothers me that daddy threw me out, and that he doesn't like you just because of Kyubi. But I guess that you're right, and that all that matters is you and I right now. I'll just hope that some day he can forgive me, and accept you."  
  
"I hope so too," Naruto sighed. "I hate seeing you unhappy." He pulled away from Sakura, slinging his arm around Sakura's shoulder and grasping her hand. "For now, you can stay with me for as long as you want. If anybody has a problem with it, they can talk to me. Sound good?"  
  
"Yeah," Sakura said, briefly pressing her lips to Naruto's again. "Thanks, Naruto. I really appreciate this."  
  
"It's not a problem." Naruto grinned mischeviously. "You can always count on me. Besides, I hate living alone, and living with my girlfriend is bound to have certain fringe benefits."  
  
"Of course," Sakura grinned slyly. The two of them kissed again, then started walking back towards the village.  
  
"Oh, by the way, Tsunade told me to tell you it was about damn time we got together," Naruto said thoughtfully after a moment.  
  
"What?" Sakura shrieked. "You told Tsunade?"  
  
"No, Pervert-sennin saw you leave my apartment in my old clothes this morning, and they just figured it out from there." Sakura looked dubious, then finally smiled.  
  
"I'm sorry I got mad, Naruto. It's not your fault." The two of them were silent for a moment, just enjoying each other's company. "Hey, what was Jiraya doing watching your apartment anyway?"  
  
"You know, I really don't know."  
  
A/N: So, another short-ish chapter. But I hope you guys appreciate it. I really do. It might be a little bit before the next chapter is up, but I'll try to give you all something by Friday. Read and review please! 


	8. Lunch or Something Like It

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rules  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..

Okay, well, here's chapter eight. Finding out that not only are there now three reviewers who say this is their favorite fic, but that people are actually out there rooting for me... Wow.

If it wasn't for your great reviews, I never would have continued beyond the first chapter. But I've recieved 82 reviews so far, and just about every one of you said it was great, and to keep writing. I know I've said it a bunch of times before, but seriously. You guys rock.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I've been without internet service, so yeah. Anyway, I hope it was worth the wait.

To Hell With the Consequences

Written by PHreek-Boi  
Chapter Eight: Lunch or Something Like It

The Ichiraku ramen bar was always busy around lunch. So, of course, Ichiraku Yamato, the proprietor of the fine establishment was far from surprised to see five of his best customers show up asking for a table for eight. Noticably visible from their ranks were Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto, the boy whom Yamato had to repect due to the sheer volume of miso ramen he could put away in a single sitting.

"Where are Sakura and Naruto?" Yamato asked, his gruff voice ringing out over the sound of patrons chatting and slurping noodles. "They're always here with you guys."

"I don't know, Ichiraku-san," Rock Lee replied, his caterpillar-like eyebrows knitting together. "I assumed they'd be here already. I hope Sakura-chan's alright."

"I'm sure they're fine, Lee," Neji sighed. He had overheard the conversation between Naruto and Tsunade, and thusly knew what to expect. As fellow jounin, he and Naruto had actually become quite close friends. He was happy for Naruto, although he could hardly understand all the subversion required in letting one's friends know you were dating.

"I-i'm sure Neji-san is right," Hinata said quietly. "Naruto-kun's one of the most powerful shinobi in Konoha. And Sakura can take care of herself."

"It's such a bother," Shikamaru complained. "I don't see why they told us to show up here if they aren't even going to bother coming." He took a seat, crossing his arms and staring boredly at the table in front of him. "I hope it's important."

"That twit Naruto probably got lost," Ino quipped. "I don't know why you're complaining, anyway. You're late all the time, Shika-kun."

"Quiet, devil woman," Shikamaru retorted with a sigh. "Normally the reason I'm always late is because you keep me up all night, either with your incessant yattering about whatever's pissed you off, or with your constant begging for..."

"You better not!" Ino warned, clenching her hands into fists. "If you do, I swear to god I'll kick you so hard you'll have to open your mouth to take a piss."

"Sex."

"Asshole!"

"Bitch."

Neji, Hinata, and Lee tuned the fueding couple out at this point, well used to their constant bickering. They were also well aware of the fact that sometime in the next few minutes they'd make up and be right back to their usual afternoon ritual in the ladies room. Just like every other time.

"Can I get you kids something?" a young waitress asked, she too ignoring Shikamaru and Ino's bickering.

Lee opened his moth to speak, but Neji beat him to the punch. "We're waiting for friends, so we're not going to order yet," he said politely. "But thank you anyway."

"Alright. Call me when you're ready." The waitress rushed off to another table. Neji watched her briefly, then turned his attention to the table, finally starting to wonder what might be keeping Sakura and Naruto. He knew it must be important, for otherwise Naruto would have arrived already and be in the process of slugging back an extra large bowl of some sort of ramen. The thought brought a slight smile to his face. He oftentimes wondered how Naruto could eat like that without choking to death or being ill.

"They're late," Lee complained. "What if Sakura-chan's hurt? Oh, and Naruto. I should go out and look for her! Uh, them."

"Look for who?" Naruto's voice asked as he and Sakura wedged themselves into the seats between Hinata and Lee. Neji almost laughed on the look on the face of his cousin. It was really pathetic how Hinata was so infatuated with Naruto, who had never shown any interest in her. It was hard to tell what Lee was thinking, as he apparantly had only one multipurpose expression, although to judge from the way his eye twitched Neji guessed he was very excited to be seated next to Sakura.

_Poor fool,_ Neji sighed inwardly.

"Where are Shikamaru and Ino?" Sakura asked, her eyebrow quirking quizzically.

A series of loud thumps, and a squeal of, "Ooh, Shika-kun!" from the general direction of the ladies room answered that question.

"Again?" Naruto whined. "They do this every day! My god! Haven't they any decency?"

"Eh, it's better than the two of them fighting all the time," Lee observed, his brow furrowed and soaked with sweat.

"Lee's got a point," Sakura agreed, and the odd sort of grin it brought to the green-clad ninja's face suggested he was happy that Sakura agreed with him.

_What a fool,_ Neji almost sighed. Quite frankly, from the glances Sakura stole toward Naruto every few seconds, and the all-encompassing shit-eating grin Naruto had plastered on his face, he was surprised nobody else had figured out what was going on.

"H-how are you, N-naruto-kun?" Hinata's timid voice asked. Even after years of friendship, Hinata still couldn't address Naruto without blushing fiercely. Often people wondered if she would ever overcome the problem. It was quite annoying when it came right down to it. "I-i mean, you were closer to Iruka-san than anyone. It must be horrible for you."

"It's rough," Naruto admitted, at which Sakura looked meaningfully at him, her hand brushing across his. "I still can't believe he's gone. He was the closest thing to a father I ever had, and now he's dead. It sucks. Sucks with teeth. But I'm coping."

_Quite well, it seems,_ Neji thought, a slight smile crossing his usually solemn face. Naruto and Sakura seemed to be having trouble keeping their hands, and other parts of their respective anatomies, to themselves. He considered suggesting a brief sojourn to the ladies room themselves, if for no other reason than to to see the look on their faces when they realized he knew their secret. Of course, he supposed, in a moment they would share the information willingly.

"What'd we miss?" the understandably breathless voice of Ino asked. She looked dishevelled, which made a lot of sense considering. Shikamaru followed silently behind her, a satisfied little smirk on his face. Naruto rolled his eyes, and Sakura made a gagging motion. Lee snickered uncontrollably, and Hinata appeared as if she might faint. Neji merely sighed.

"Nothing important," he stated. Ino looked relieved, as if she expected something exciting was up. If Neji's suspiscions were right, she had already figured out what was coming. If this were the case, it meant the blonde was much smarter than most people gave her credit for.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, looked... well, like Shikamaru. His face bore a similar expression to the boredom he always protrayed. Like Lee, he apparantly had one expression that shifted very slightly to suit the situation. It was hard to believe two people so different had somehow ended up living together. As Naruto had said a few times before, 'God help us if they ever have kids.'

"You kids ready to order yet?" the voice of the waitress asked, startling Neji from his silent repartee.

"Yeah, I'll have a large order of miso ramen and green tea," Naruto stated.

"A small order of pork ramen and green tea for me," Sakura said politely.

"Large shrimp and water for me," Lee ordered exhuberantly.

"We'll have the special," Ino stated, speaking for both Shikamaru and herself.

"I'd like a small order of beef ramen and a glass of mineral water, please," Hinata murmured timidly.

"The special and Chai tea for me," Neji replied. The waitress, who had scribbled everything down as people ordered, nodded and disappeared into the back. "Didn't you say Kakashi was supposed to be here, Naruto?"

"Yeah, but he's always late," Naruto sighed. "He'll show up, eventually, and come up with some lame excuse to explain why he was late. Really it's because he loses track of time when he's reading one of his Make-out Paradise books." As if on cue, a tall, silver haired man appeared, most of his face obscured by his hitai-ate and the face mask he chose to wear.

"Sorry I'm late," he murmured, taking the seat between Shikamaru and Hinata. "Y'see, these shinobi from Mist country attacked me..."

"Right," Naruto and Sakura sighed in unison. They had long since become accustomed to the lateness of the silver-haired jounin. He had, after all, led their cell for the better part of three years.

"The new issue of Make-out Paradise came out today, didn't it?" Naruto asked, in an obvious attempt to catch his former leader in a lie. It was one feat the blond had never managed, despite all of his attempts. It seemed the Sharingan Copy Ninja was too smart to be thwarted by his former student.

"If you were trying to trick me into admitting I was late because I was sitting outside the bookstore, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Jiraya's latest masterpiece, you'll have to do better than that, Naruto," Kakashi said smugly. "You've got to give me more credit than that. I'm too smart to fall for such an obvious ploy."

"Yes, but it seems you fell for the more devious one," Neji observed. "It was an amazing bit of subversion. Naruto tricked you into thinking you had figured out his plot by being so forthright with his attempt to attain the truth. It was a very impressive interrogation technique. Especially from Naruto. It's a wonder he scored so low on the espionage portion of the jounin exam." Naruto smirked triumphantly.

"I... But he..." Kakashi sighed, his head drooping forward. "Damn."

"I told you I'd get you one day," Naruto retorted. "You should have known, I can do anything I put my mind to. I might not be as smart as some people, but I am a devious little bastard when I have to be. How'd you think I ended up as an ANBU commander?"

"Fair enough," Kakashi sighed again. "I guess that means I'm paying, huh?"

"That was the agreement," Naruto nodded. He smiled at the older shinobi. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

Lee, looking as uncomfortable as ever, chose this moment to ask a question which had been plaguing his mind since the arrival of Naruto and Sakura. "Say, Sakura-chan," he began slowly, earning a polite roll of the eyes from the pink haired girl and a bemused smirk from Naruto. "Why are you dressed in Naruto's old clothes?"

_Tactful as usual,_ Neji sighed inwardly. Sakura was flushing a beautiful shade of pink, and Naruto was laughing nervously, scratching the back of his head. Everyone observed the couple expectantly, save for Neji and Kakashi, who had snuck his book out of his pocket and leafed through it under the table.

"W-well," Sakura said slowly, swallowing.

"Y'see..." Naruto hesitated, turning to look Sakura in the eyes, who turned to meet his gaze. Both nodded, ever so slightly, then took concurrant deep breaths and turned to address their friends.

"Naruto and I... We're... Um, well..." Sakura studdered, looking helplessly to Naruto.

"We're dating," he finished.

A/N: And so chapter 8 draws to a close. How will everyone react? That's a good question. Of course I know, but I'm not going to tell you. At least not yet. Don't you just hate cliffhangers? I'm sorry, but it had to happen. I promise it won't be long before chapter nine is up. Until then, read and review!


	9. Greetings From Ground Zero!

Disclaimer. My disclaimer rule  
Because it is a haiku  
Naruto's not mine..

That last chapter was pretty well accepted. I'm still sorry for the cliffhanger ending, but it was crucial in the development of the storyline. I sure hope this chapter justifies it.

Thanks to however many reviewers I have had by the time this chapter comes out. I'm really enjoying writing this, and I'm happy you're all enjoying reading it.

Anyway, on with the fic! Here's Chapter Nine!

To Hell With the Consequences  
Written by PHreek-Boi

Chapter Nine: Greetings From Ground Zero!

"Naruto and I... We're... Um, well..." Sakura studdered, looking helplessly to Naruto.

"We're dating," he finished.

Nobody at the table spoke. The hubbub of clicking chopsticks and slurping noodles seemed muted. Even Kakashi had fixed the couple with a wide-eyed gaze. Naruto shifted uncomfortably, wishing the silence would end. Sakura, on the other hand, was petrified.

"You're what?" Lee asked. It was obvious from his weak tone and the pleading look in his eyes that he was hoping that he had misheard..

"We're together," Sakura said, grabbing Naruto's hand and squeezing it.

"Oh." Anyone who had been watching the green-clad shinobi would have been able to pinpoint the exact moment his heart shattered. "Well that's... nice." Lee's hands clenched into fists, and his eyebrow twitched more frequently. It was obvious he was fighting back his anger and sadness at the fact that he had lost Sakura to Naruto.

"I'm happy for you, Naruto-kun," Hinata squeaked, swallowing. "C-congratulations." She was on the verge of tears, obviously. She had loved Naruto for almost as long as she had known him. She had always hoped that someday he would reciprocate her feelings, but now, it seemed all hope was lost. "E-excuse me. I have to go. I just remembered that I had promised mother I would run some errands for her. C-congratulations again, Naruto-kun. You too, Sakura. I hope you're very happy together." Without another word, Hinata had disappeared out the door.

"It's about time you two got together," Shikamaru yawned, looking as disinterested as ever. "At least that means there's one less teen melodrama we have to put up with." He smirked slightly. "Congratulations."

"I'm so happy for you!" Ino squealed, pulling both Naruto and Sakura into a tight hug. "I knew you two were meant to be together. If it had taken too much longer, me and Shika-kun were going to lock you two in a closet until you admitted you had feelings for each other."

"You make it sound like you suspected something," Naruto observed. "It's not like we were always slobbering all over one another like you and Shikamaru. Hell, until yesterday I thought she was in love with Sasuke."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed. "I was pretty sure I was too. What made you two think otherwise?"

"Not just them," Neji interrupted. "I, too, suspected there was something more than friendship between you two. Think about it, Sakura. Who did you go running to when Sasuke broke your heart?"

"Naruto," Sakura admitted, flushing slightly as she smiled at the blond boy.

"And who could always make you smile, no matter how depressed you were?" Neji pressed on, causing Sakura to smile wider.

"Naruto." She leaned over to kiss Naruto gently, and Lee looked as if he might attack the grinning jounin.

"And who, Sakura, would drop everything, no matter how important just to be there for you when you were upset?"

"Naruto," Sakura replied, resting her head on Naruto's shoulder, who draped an arm around her lazily. "You've made some good points. I guess I've been pretty blind, huh?"

"Yeah," Ino agreed, earning herself a death glare from Sakura. "But it's understandable. There was always this mystique about Sasuke. I know it blinded me towards Shika-kun for a while. So you can hardly be blamed for not really noticing Naruto sooner than you did." She smiled, eyes glinting mischeviously. "You've managed to pick up second place in the great game of love." She never could pass up a chance to insult Naruto.

"Gee, thanks, Ino," Naruto replied sarcastically. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said about me."

"I aim to please," Ino retorted, smirking and sticking out her tongue.

"Yeech, put that away!" Naruto mock-whimpered, covering his eyes. "I don't even want to think about where it might have been."

"Bastard," Ino growled, folding her arms. Naruto smiled triumphantly. Sakura giggled, kissing him again. Lee, who had watched the whole scene unfold, looked like he was about to scream. "So how'd you two get together anyway?"

"Well," Naruto began slowly, looking to Sakura. "It's kind of an interesting story. Y'see..."

"I went over to his place last night to check on him," Sakura interrupted. "I knew he was pretty broken up about Iruka-sensei's death, and I just wanted to know he wasn't blaming himself. I had some time to think while I was walking, and by the time I made it to Naruto's place, I knew I was in love with him. We got to talking, and one thing led to another." She smiled at Naruto, interlacing her fingers with his. "And now we're together."

"It's good you two finally figured your feelings out," Kakashi reasoned, leaning his head on his hand.

"Not that I disagree, but why's that?" Naruto asked, a confused expression on his face.

"It was starting to affect your work as a jounin," Kakashi explained. "It was always pretty obvious you had feelings for Sakura, ever since you were assigned to my cell back after you graduated. Most of your amazing progress at first, I think, was due to the fact that you wanted to impress Sakura. But as time wore on, you became less and less focused on your work as a shinobi."

"I couldn't help myself," Naruto sighed, flushing. "You do wierd things for the people you love."

"Aww," Sakura cooed, kissing Naruto again. Suddenly, a growling Lee had sprung from his seat, leapt over the table, and toppled Naruto to the ground.

"You bastard!" he wailed, smashing one fist into Naruto's face. "You knew I was in love with her! You knew!" Again, Lee's fist connected with the blond boy's face. "You stole my Sakura-chan from me!"

"I didn't steal anything,Lee," Naruto returned through swollen lips. "Sakura picked me. If you can't deal with that, tough."

"I'll kill you!" Lee wailed, repeatedly smashing his fists into Naruto's face.

"Lee, stop it, please!" Sakura begged. "I know you're upset, but I love Naruto. I'm sorry." She moved to lay a hand on Lee's shoulder, but he pulled away.

"Don't touch me, you... you whore!" Lee snarled, standing and stalking towards the door. Just before he exited the restaurant, with one last bellow of rage, he drove both fists down into a table, snapping the legs and splintering the top.

"That went better than I'd hoped," Naruto mumbled, before losing consciousness.

A/N: Sorry it was so short. This chapter was kind of hard to write, but here it is anyway. The next two chapters will be from Hinata and Lee's consecutive feelings about Naruto and Sakura being together. So yeah... Read and review and they'll be up sooner.


	10. Wallflower Tears

Disclaimer: Naruto's not mine  
If it were, I'd be wealthy  
I'm not, so don't sue.

First of all, I LIVE! I know some of you were wondering what was going on... Well, I had some issues with writers block, then work... So I apologize for dropping off the radar like I did.

I really appreciate all of your reviews... I'm glad my story is so popular. I hope I can live up to your expectations. And I hope by the time this is all said and done, I win you all back. Don't worry; it should never take this long for a chapter again.

Well, on with chapter ten! Booyah!

To Hell With the Consequences  
Written by PHreek-Boi

Chapter Ten: Wallflower Tears

I charged out of the Ichiraku Ramen Bar before I broke into tears. Naruto-kun's words assailed me as I ran, the image of he and Sakura holding hands causing a painful ache in my chest. "We're dating," his voice played again, forcing more tears free of my eyes. They were together. I had lost him to Sakura, and that was somehow more painful than any torture I could imagine.

_You knew it was just a matter of time, Hinata-san,_ a voice played in my mind. _You always knew that someday she would realize she wanted him, and he'd give himself to her willingly._

Yes, I knew it would happen. Though truthfully, I had always hoped he might spend at least some time showering me with his affection, that I might be the first to feel his bare flesh pressing against mine, first to hear him moan my name in the throes of exstacy...

_Such impure thoughts!_ the voice in my head marvelled. _I knew you were into him, but this is something I didn't expect!_

I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I stare down at the ground. I can't help how I feel. I suppose it's mostly hormones. I am seventeen, after all, and according to Neji-kun, the teenaged mind is driven primarily by lust. And Naruto-kun is my object of desire. I've loved him for so long... Why did he have to pick Sakura?

_Because he loves her,_ the voice replied. _You've known that for as long as you've known Naruto._

It doesn't change anything. I want him to love me. I want him to hold me. I just want him. But... I'll never have him, will I?

_Nope. I know it's harsh, but get over him. He's finally got the girl of his dreams. So Try to be happy for him, and move on._

I suppose that would be best... although maybe it'd be alright to hope their relationship doesn't work out... Then he would realize that he should have picked me, that Sakura was no good for him. He'd be mine... He would love me, like I love him...

I know it's just wishful thinking. Naruto-kun has never showed any interest in me. He's always had eyes for that pink-haired witch, Sakura. It's her fault I'm miserable. Why'd he pick her instead of me? I loved him! I would have done anything for him! She all but spit on him, yet he still loved... loves her.

More than I could ever hope for him to love me.

I know she makes him happy, and I can tell they really love one another. But I can't help but wish it was me whose hand he was holding.

_You make it sound like it's the end of the world._

It is, in a way. It means I don't have a chance in hell of getting him to even notice me. And it was always a constant in out world, Me pining after Naruto-kun, who pined after Sakura, who pined after Sasuke-san, who lusted after the power to defeat his brother and avenge his clan. Now Naruto-kun and Sakura are together, and it means everything is different. It's hard to accept.

_I understand, Hinata-san. But you're all growing up. Even Naruto._

That in itself is a disheartening thought. One of the things that attraced me to Naruto-kun was his perpetual youth. He was always out playing tag with the village children, or pulling pranks on Hokage-sama. Even when the older villagers treat him like dirt, he's always got another cheek to turn. And I bet that abnormal level of energy leads to great sex...

It's too bad Sakura sunk her claws into him...

I suppose standing here pining over Naruto-kun doesn't help much. Neji-san would tell me I'm being childish, and that such things are a waste of my time... Of course, Neji-san doesn't know that I found those dirty books he hides in his bedroom...

Knowing I've lost Naruto-kun before I even had a chance is hard. But, I suppose as long as I know he's happy, it's alright. And I know that as long as he's with Sakura, he'll always be happy. Dammit. Since there's nothing else I can do, I might as well accept it. I'm sure I'll love again, someday. Maybe I'll give Kiba-san a chance.

On second thought... Nah.

I should go back and apologize for running out like I did. It was kind of rude, and I'm sure they know I was upset. I was being foolish. Naruto was never mine. I never even had a chance. So I'll try to make my peace with it, and I'll try to be supportive.

But if Sakura ever dumps him, I'll be right there to snap him up. A girl's gotta have priorities, after all. It's not my fault my priorities involve a gorgeous, bronzed god of a man, with golden hair, eyes that on on forever, and an amazing ass...

Mmm...

Wow. Maybe I should be writing those dirty books Kakashi-san is always reading. I could make a fortune, since the only thing I can concentrate on is the mental picture of me and Naruto-kun, tangled together and glistening with sweat as we...

_Easy, girl. You're not making this any easier on yourself._

I can't help it. I need something to take my mind off of Naruto-kun. Well, I could concentrate on my studies. Neji-san always tells me I need to concentrate more. Concentrate... Concentrate... Neji-san always says I should imaginei'm in a boat on a tranquil pool... There are no interruptions... Except for that hot blond boy, who seems to be skinny dipping. He pulls me out of the boat into his arms, and carries me to the shore, where we...

Maybe I could go find a pool of cold water to sit in for a while. That might help.

I wonder what all those medics are doing at the Ramen Bar? Maybe Ichiraku-sama picked up some bad miso.

Or maybe...

Oh no! Naruto-kun!

A/N: Another short chapter, but the hardest to write so far. How do you express the feelings of a character who you are barely aware of? It's not easy, for sure. If Hinata seems out of character, keep in mind that these are her thoughts. So she'd probably sound a lot like a regular seventeen-year-old. Anyway, I promise the next chapter wuill be longer. Read and review! If you're nice and review lots, I'll get the next chappie out sooner! Until next time.


	11. Greeneyed Beast

Disclaimer: Naruto's not mine  
If it were, I'd be wealthy  
I'm not, so don't sue.

Sorry it's been so long! I can't help it. Writers block and lack of Net access is what did it. Don't worry, I should be back to a more regular schedule soon.

I just found out my story is included in a C2 community as one of the best Narusaku fics on the net. That surprises the hell out of me. I guess, though, it was just a matter of time before I found my niche. Thanks a lot, to all of you.

I got a lot of reviews after posting Chapter 10... One reviewer said I'd restored their faith in Sakura, and had searched out other Narusaku fics... Of course, that was balanced out by one reviewer who said he didn't like my writing style in chapters 1, 2, and 10... What about 3 and 4? They were written the same way, and yet were conspicuously absent from his criticism. He also called me lazy because chapters one and two were so similar.

Hooray, real criticism!

Anywho, to any of you who complained about Lee seeming out of character in past chapters, it will all be explained in this chapter. Or, at least, as well as I can manage. I hope this holds up to the high standard I've created.

Well, on with Chapter 11! Booyah!

To Hell With the Consequences  
Written by PHreek-Boi

Chapter Eleven: Green(-eyed) Beast

I stomped out of the ramen bar, rage threatening to overcome my strong will with every step. Naruto betrayed me! I can't believe I ever trusted that rotten bastard. He's no better then that slimy fuck Sasuke. But he flaunts it in my face... and she, worst of all, lets him. At least Sasuke is discreet about his mockery of those he thinks are beneath reproach.

At least the searing pain in my shoulder is beginning to subside. Jesus, I can't believe I beat the living hell out of one of my best friends just because a girl I have a crush on decided she loved him. It isn't like there weren't any signs, and I know Naruto's had it bad for Sakura for years. I'm almost inclined to think it's about damn time they stopped playing around and actually jumped in bed together.

The pain... my God, I can hardly stand it! It's all his fault! If he hadn't taken my Sakura-chan away from me, this wouldn't be happening. That fucking prick will pay for what he's done to me. Naruto has to pay!

What the hell am I thinking? It's not Naruto's fault! He didn't start seeing Sakura just to spite me. They're in love, and I can hardly blame them for that. Sure, I'm disappointed, but Naruto didn't do anything wrong. It's just the way things were supposed to be Besides, if I did anything else to him, it would crush Sakura. I could never do that to her.

She deserves to hurt! She betrayed me! She's a filthy, disgusting whore who doesn't deserve my respect or my pity. I hope Naruto breaks her heart. I hope he leaves her, and she suffers. And I'll make sure I'm there, to laugh in her face.

But... Sakura-chan... Sakura doesn't deserve such spite from me. She's done nothing wrong. And Naruto...

...Is always one up on me! No matter how hard I try, Naruto is always one step better then me! I train and train so I might be the best in Konoha, so I might prove that I, Rock Lee, the Green Beast of Konoha, might be the greatest, but it's never enough. No matter what, Naruto is always just that little bit better then me. He must cheat. There's no way he's stronger than me! And he probably has Sakura under some mind controlling Jutsu. There's no way she'd choose that ugly freak over me. Naruto must be stopped! I'll crush him myself!

But Naruto's my friend, dammit! He didn't do this just to hurt me. Maybe to hurt Sasuke, but not me. I shouldn't be thinking that way, but it's getting harder to supress my rage... I couldn't control myself when I attacked Naruto... It's like I was an entirely different person. My whole body seemed to be on fire... it must be...

Some trick of Naruto's I bet! He's had it out for me all along! He fears me! But any smart person should fear me. They all know I am a threat. I have mastered the Lotus Technique, and I can call on physical power greater then any of them! And when Naruto sees my true power... Heh heh heh... I can imagine the look on his face, the fear in his eyes when I crush him. But more delicious will be the fear and the misery in that slut's eyes when he dies at my hands, the hands of a man he has called 'friend' and 'commrade'.

No... Sakura isn't a slut. And Naruto is my friend. I could never actually hurt either of them! The fact that he finally won Sakura makes me mad to be sure. Mad as hell. But that doesn't mean he deserves my spite. He was always the one Sakura loved, even if she didn't realize it. She always ran off to him when Sasuke broke her heart. And the fact that Naruto never did anything to Sasuke speaks volumes on his character. If it had been me, I'm sure I would have gone out to beat down Sasuke whenever I had the chance. But the fact is, Naruto suffered at Sakura's hands for a long time, even if she didn't know it. Every time he made her feel better, every time he mended her broken heart, Sakura ran off to get it shattered again by that emotional cripple, Sasuke. As hard as it is for me to accept, Naruto deserves Sakura's love. He's a better person then I. He's better then us all, despite what he had to suffer through as a child.

Ha! Him, suffer? He doesn't know what suffering is! Suffering is spending every waking moment fighting to become stronger! Suffering is working yourself to exaustion, even to the very brink of death just so you can gain a bit more power! Suffering is being beaten out time and time again by a joke! Suffering is losing the girl of your dreams to a guy that never in a million years could ever deserve her! Suffering is knowing no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try you will never be the best! Naruto doesn't know what it is to truly suffer. But he will.

He lost his parents when he was young... He was an outcast because the fourth died to protect him... I could never understand why he was so hated by his peers and the elders of the village. In fact, it seemed at first that the only person who truly respected Naruto was Sasuke. But that respect was accompanied by a sense of fear at what Naruto might become, and it pushed Sasuke to excel. They've still not settled their rivalry as far as who the greatest might be, but the fact that Naruto is an ANBU commander where Sasuke is his underling hints that maybe the reason Sasuke tried so hard to prove he was the best, that he could beat Naruto, was that he knew all along Naruto was better then he could ever be. Over time, all of us grew to respect Naruto. Some of the adults in the village still treat him like he is worthless, despite what he has done. Some things, it seems, will never change.

Nor should they! Naruto doesn't deserve respect. And whatever 'respect' he has earned is a joke! He should be treated with spite, reproach, even loathing. He is a freak of nature and should be treated as nothing better. He deserves to die! He's a monster! He needs to learn what suffering truly is!

It feels like my body is on fire, flooding from my shoulder. I know why, too... That's why I've been trying so hard lately to repress my ill will... It's why I attacked Naruto... He's controlling me. When my ANBU cell attacked the Sound, I was the only survivor... He let me live, for a price. But it was is a price I can tell nobody of...

The Master freed me, and I serve him in return. He freed me from the dated code of Konoha village. It is about time I accepted his gift, and used it to my fullest advantage. I will use it to crush Naruto and all others who would defy me! They will all acknowledge my greatness, or they will die!

The mark on my shoulder... The cursed seal of Orochimaru, controlling me, activated by my emotions rather than chakra... It has truly made me a beast. I know now that I can't fight it, not forever. There is only one thing I can do, for the good of myself and of Konoha. I no longer deserve to wear the hitai-ate of a Leaf-nin, not as long as the seal and the taint of Orochimaru remains upon me. I must leave, or I fear I may destroy them. It allowed me to open the eigth gate, and survive... And I can no longer depend on my ability to suppress it... It is overwhelming me, destroying my pure soul. There is no other way. For now, I must bit Konoha farewell, no matter the cost.

I'll be back for you, Naruto. That's a promise.

A/N: Oh, I know people are gonna burn me for this one. How could I do that to Lee? Simple, it's important to the story. It's been in the works all along. Sorry, Lee fans! But you must have expected something like this. Sorry if it's a bit short. The next chapter will bear the introduction of another dark-haired ninja, but whom? I wonder... Anyway, read and review. The next chapter will be up as soon as possible.


	12. Jitensha Kun

Disclaimer: Naruto is mine!  
Actually it isn't,  
But I can dream, right?

I know, I know. I promised a more regular schedule, and I haven't kept it up. Well, there's a reason for that. For one thing, I have been plagued by writers block. For another, I have been trying to write a story I can sell, because I am tired of being poor. And for a third, I've been working on another Narusaku fic I'll post eventually for your enjoyment. I am sorry, and I hope my loyal regulars will stick with me.

The last chapter, I got a lot of positive reviews, and only one actual flame from a reader who obviously didn't read the whole story. I explained why Lee went off like he did! I covered it! And you were supposed to flame me because I tainted his ugly, thick-browed purity with his connection to Orochimaru, not because he called Sakura a whore! I was just looking for an excuse to go off on a tirade! Look at the author who's making an ass of himself! Throw money!

This is the longest chapter to date.

Anyway, here comes Chapter 12, with the long-awaited Consequences debut of... Jitensha-Kun!

To Hell With The Consequences  
by PHreek-Boi!

Chapter Twelve - Jitensha-Kun

To anyone who stumbled upon the raven-haired boy's training, they might think he was preparing for a battle against some great evil force about to overwhelm the village, if his level of intensity was anything to judge by. The few people who knew him well knew it was for a much different reason. Ever since he had been brought back to Konoha village by his former teammates, he had trained with a vigor unrivaled by anybody in the village. But he was not motivated by the need to better himself; he was motivated by the pure, wanton desire to prove once and for all that he could beat Uzumaki Naruto.

Uchiha Sasuke had once been considered the pride of Konoha. He had been the most promising cadet in his class, and later a a genin. But he had fallen under Orochimaru's influence, merely to gain the power he needed to defeat his brother without killing the very man he sought to better in honorable combat. He bore no ill will toward Naruto; he considered the blond boy to be his oldest and dearest friend, even if they didn't get along. It was kind of an odd relationship between the two young men, but a functional one. But friendship was the furthest thing from Sasuke's mind while he was training; he had to know, once and for all, whether he could defeat Naruto or if he really was second best.

He raised one hand to his side, closing his eyes as he imagined his chakra pooling in the upturned palm, swirling into a ball of destructive energy. He tried it at every training session, but had not managed to achieve what he set out to. He sought to master the ultimate weapon his rival carried in his arsenal. It brought a slight smile to his face when he imagined what Naruto might look like when he was defeated by the Rasengan. Uzumaki would never see it coming. Somehow, that made it all the more appealing.

Suddenly he was very aware of the concentration of chakra in his left hand, and his eyes snapped open in time to show him that he had unwittingly performed the Chidori. "Fuck!" Sasuke swore vehemently, before slamming his energy-charged hand into the trunk of a nearby oak tree. The tree exploded in a shower of splinters, the remnant crashing to the ground several feet away. Sasuke scowled, looking down at his hands. "Why the fuck can't I do it?" he wondered aloud.

He had done everything he had seen Naruto do. He had tried at least a thousand different times, and had yet to make any sort of progress. He had even tried gorging himself on ramen, thinking perhaps the high level of fat and preservatives might spike his energy and allow him to perform the powerful attack. He had even tried copying the attack with his Sharingan eye, but found it wasn't possible. Nothing worked; Sasuke was forced to admit, finally, that perhaps the Rasengan was beyond his ability.

No! He couldn't quit. Nothing was beyond his ability! He was Uchiha Sasuke, sole survivor of the Uchiha clan, and the greatest of the Konoha genin. He could master the Rasengan! He had to! Otherwise, his loss to Naruto, to Dobe-kun, would be over his head for the rest of his life. Sasuke renewed his resolve, and tried once again to achieve the elusive technique, so far the only one he was unable to master.

Sasuke closed his eyes again, holding his hand out in front of him with his palm upturned. He focused on the chakra pooling in his hand, willing it to swirl into a ball of destructive energy. Again he felt the energy, and again he opened his eyes, disgusted to find it had somehow formed a Chidori. Sasuke growled, smashing his chakra-charged fist into another of the regal oaks, leaving it in much the same shape as the one he had attacked earlier. "This is ridiculous! If Dobe-kun can do it, I should be able to! I'm a better shinobi then he could ever possibly be!" Sasuke scowled, lowering himself to a seated position against a large rock. "Maybe I should call it a day."

"What, the great Uchiha Sasuke is calling it quits on his training before nightfall?" a familiar voice taunted. "Seriously, how can you keep this pace up every day? Sure, I understand the need to train, but this is a bit much." Sasuke raised his gaze to spot the source of the voice. It didn't take him long to spot his erstwhile companion, who stuck out like a sore thumb in his orange jumpsuit. He also noticed that the blond looked like he had been attacked fairly recently.

"Nobody asked you, Naruto," Sasuke scowled, his gaze turned down to the ground. "There is a reason I train with such intesnsity, but I don't expect you to understand. There is still someone I have to defeat."

"There's no need to be rude to him, Sasuke," another familiar voice retorted. Sakura made her presense known an instant later, smiling sweetly at the Uchiha boy. "He's just worried about you. You've been working yourself to exaustion every day since you got out of the hospital. It can't be healthy."

Sasuke scowled at the medic nin. "It's none of your business what I do, Sakura." His voice lacked the venom of it's youth, but he still spoke the pink-haired girl's name as if it were a curse. Sakura frowned, extending her middle finger and sticking out her tongue. Naruto grinned at the display, which even Sasuke had to admit was humorous.

"Asshole," Sakura snorted, srossing her arms and turning away from the black haired boy. "I can't believe you! I try to be nice, and you throw it back in my face." She glared at the blond, a murderous glint in her eyes. "Wipe that grin off your face, Naruto, or I'll remove an integral part of your manliness. I'm sure I don't have to elaborate."

Sasuke watched with interest as Naruto visibly paled, his hands moving to cover his groin. "I'll be good, Sakura-chan!" he said quickly. "No need to do anything we'll both regret."

"What do you... Oh!" Sakura's cheeks flushed, and her gaze darted nervously over to Sasuke. They were hiding something, he realized, but what could it be? He was stirred from his thoughts by a loud clap, and a groan from Naruto. "Pervert," Sakura stated with a contempt-filled glance down at his prone form. Naruto smiled back up at her, despite the palm-shaped red mark on his face, and Sasuke watched in awe as Sakura's gaze softened, and an attractive blush colored her cheeks. He had never witnessed this sort of behaviour from his former teammate; Sasuke had to know what was going on.

"What is the matter with you two?" Sasuke interrupted, stirring both the blond boy and the pink-haired girl from their respective thoughts. "You're acting like a couple of lovesick idiots."

"Fuck you, Sasuke," Naruto retorted, scowling. "You have no right to tell us how to act, pal. You gave up any right you might have had when you ditched me and Sakura to follow Orochimaru. Like you said, what we do is none of your business."

"Grow up, Naruto," Sasuke retorted. "I hardly care what you two choose to do in your free time. I just wondered why Sakura wasn't all over me like a dog on fresh meat. Did she finally lower her standards enough to fuck you, Naruto?" The next thing he knew, Sasuke was on his back, and his cheek stung horribly. He had to admit, what she lacked in chakra skills Sakura more then made up for in raw, physical power.

"How DARE you?" Sakura asked, hauling Sasuke up to his feet by his shirt collar. "I can't believe I wasted five fucking years of my life slobbering all over you like some retarded otaku! I thought you must have some redeeming quality buried under all that cynicism and egotism, but I guess I was wrong. You're no better then your brother."

"It's about time you realized that, Sakura," Sasuke retorted. "I never cared about you. You were just another liability. If I'd had my way, you never would have been part of Team Seven. It's not like you were ever of use to us. I wish I'd never met you, Sakura. My life would have been better for it." Sakura's expression faltered, and tears dribbled down her cheeks.

The next thing Sasuke knew, he was pinned up against a tree, struggling to breath. Naruto was holding him above the ground effortlessly, his lips curled back in a fearsome snarl. His normally blue eyes blazed red, and the familiar swirl of energy that was the Rasengan had formed in his free hand. "Never, NEVER say things like that about my Sakura-chan!" Naruto growled, his voice resonating menacingly. "She means more to me then anything, and you made her cry! That is unforgiveable, Uchiha! Any last words?"

Sasuke smirked at Naruto. "Do it," he said simply, daring his friend to attack.

"Gladly." Naruto prepared to thrust the Rasengan forward into Sasuke, only to find that he couldn't move his arm. Something was holding his arm back. He turned to glare at Sakura who, through her tears, looked at him pleadingly.

"Don't," she begged. "Don't go down that road, Naruto. You're better then that." She released his arm. "The man I love would never do something like that to a friend. Please don't kill him. Please."

"Come on, Naruto, do it!" Sasuke taunted. "Or are you afraid? That's it, isn't it? You're afraid!"

"No!" Naruto argued, pulling his fist further back. "He deserves to suffer!" Naruto thrust his fist forward, and Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the pain that would undoubtedly come. But it never did, and the pressure on his throat disappeared. "Let's go, Sakura," Naruto's voice said.

Sasuke opened his eyes, surprised to find that most of the trees around the cleearing had been toppled, the lions share being nothing more than splinters. Naruto and Sakura were walking back towards the village, each with an arm slung around the other's waist. "Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, and the blond boy turned back to face him.

"Yeah?" the blond called back.

"Why didn't you finish me off?"

"Because you're my friend, asshole. And besides, killing you would be no challenge whatsoever. See ya 'round, Jitensha-kun."

Sasuke scowled at the nickname, but a smile crossed his face when he was sure Naruto was gone. "I can always count on you, Naruto," he murmured, closing his eyes. "You always give me exactly what I need." He opened his eyes again, smirking at the swirling ball of chakra gathered in his hand.

A/N: And another chapter finally bites the dust! Finally, you get to see Sasuke, although he didn't display much of a reaction to Naruto and Sakura's relationship. Well, I hope this wasn't too big of a disappointment. Anyway, review lots and I'll try and get the next chapter up within a week.

Oh, and for all of you who don't know, 'Jitensha-kun' translates to 'Mr. Runner-Up.' Read and review!


	13. Obligatory Narusaku Fluff Chapter

Disclaimer: Naruto is mine!

Actually it isn't,

But I can dream, right?

I'm motivated right now to write another chapter of Consequences. But first, I must address the numerous reviews I received, burning me for allowing Sasuke to use the Rasengan. Like I had written, if you'd cared to pay attention, Sasuke was **UNABLE** to copy it with his Sharingan eye. What maybe wasn't clear was that he had spent the better part of two years studying the Rasengan and training from dawn to dusk in an attempt to duplicate the technique. In the purest sense, it's not really the Rasengan, but Sasuke's own technique based off the theory. As far as the incident with Naruto went, and Sasuke finally achieving his goal, it wasn't because he copied Naruto's attack. What I meant to portray, and obviously failed to, was that it was the intense emotions brought on by their conflict that finally allowed Sasuke to succeed. One more thing; I'm not too fond of Sasuke. I agree entirely that most people put way too much stock in his strength. This was merely part of the characterization, and important to my story. He was corrupted by Orochimaru, and it fed his lust for power. That sort of thing doesn't just go away, no matter what you want to think. I would elaborate more, but I can't without giving away key storyline points. I hope that sheds some light on the situation. So if I've lost readers, that's just too damn bad. To all of you who have stuck with me, I appreciate it.

Again, Sasuke DIDN'T copy the Rasengan with his Sharingan eye. DIDN'T. DID NOT. And, just for good measure, SASUKE DIDN'T COPY THE RASENGAN WITH HIS SHARINGAN!

Anyway, here comes Chapter 13 for your enjoyment. I hope I haven't alienated everyone... I really hoped I'd manage to break 200 reviews... Sigh.

To Hell With The Consequences  
by PHreek-Boi!

Chapter Thirteen - Obligatory Narusaku Fluff Chapter

"Is that everything, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, looking pleadingly at his love. "I feel like I've been hauling boxes up and down stairs all day."

"Yeah, that's it," Sakura smiled, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I really appreciate you helping me move, Naruto. It was very sweet of you."

"Hey, at least I only had to carry your stuff up one flight of stairs. It was kind of surprising to find all your stuff sitting on your front porch. Your dad must really be pissed off, huh?" Naruto's normally bright expression sobered slightly. "You still think it's worth it, right? I mean, you don't regret being with me?"

Sakura looked horrified at the question. "Of course I don't regret it, Naruto! I love you, with every ounce of my being. So what if Daddy threw me out? If I were in the same situation again, I'd pick you without a second thought." Her vision was blurred by unshed tears, and she sprung forward to bury her face in Naruto's broad chest. "You don't regret it, do you?"

"Never," Naruto replied without hesitation. He pressed his lips to the top of Sakura's head, stroking her hair lovingly. "You're the only good thing about my life, Sakura-chan. I could never in a million years regret being with you." Sakura looked up meet his eyes, a shy smile on her face. The next thing she knew, Naruto had captured her lips, a show of affection that quickly bloomed into a wonderfully intense expression of their love for one another. After a very long minute, Sakura broke the contact, her cheeks flushing slightly.

"There'll be plenty of time for that sort of stuff later, Naruto," Sakura said breathlessly. "Right now, I need to unpack, and change my clothes. I've been dressing in your cast-offs for the past three days. Not that that's a problem, mind you. They smell like you."

"No need to justify yourself, Sakura," Naruto replied, grinning widely. "To be honest, I think your clothes suit you a lot better then mine do. Orange really isn't your color." Sakura looked back at Naruto with a quirked eyebrow and a mischievous smirk.

"It doesn't suit you too well, either," she said playfully. She stalked forward, making sure to sway her hips seductively as she sidled up close to the blond, leaning in close enough that her lips were almost touching his earlobe. "I think flesh suits you so much better." She bit down on his earlobe gently before pulling away, leaving the blond boy flushed with mouth agape. "Come on, Naruto! We have unpacking to do!" Sakura grinned to herself, still swaying her hips seductively as she walked down the short hall to the bedroom.

"I... but... Sakura-chan!" Naruto pouted, following after her. "That's not fair!"

"How do I always let you talk me into these things, Naruto?" Sakura wondered, her naked body still damp with sweat. Her head rested comfortably on the blond's chest, and her left hand was absently tracing a continuous circle on the taut muscles of his stomach.

"You've never been able to say no to me," Naruto replied, one hand tucked behind his head, and his other rested on the small of the pink-haired girl's back. "Well, except for all those times I asked you out when we were younger. But ever since I came back from my training with Pervert-sennin, you haven't said no to me. I'm still not quite sure why."

"It's hard to explain," Sakura said, shifting her position so she could look into Naruto's cerulean eyes. "Ever since you came back to Konoha, I've been drawn to you, you know? You were always there to pick up the pieces of my heart after Sasuke crushed it, no matter how many times it happened. And even though you had feelings for me, you were willing to put those feelings aside to help me."

"Eh, it was always worth it," Naruto murmured, a smile coming to grace his lips. "I could never imagine you not being a part of my life, Sakura-chan. I always figured that if we couldn't be a couple, then we'd always be friends. And besides, I always kinda hoped you'd realize you were wasting your time with Sasuke."

"I really was wasting my time, wasn't I?" Sakura sighed, a frown pulling at her lips. "I wasted five years pining over that asshole, and what did I get out of it? Constant misery. Did we ever have even one conversation that didn't end in heartbreak?"

"Not about your feelings," Naruto admitted, his expression darkening. "Look, I have never in my life told anyone this, but when we were fresh out of the academy, when you were throwing yourself at Sasuke whenever the chance arose, I tried to talk him into going with you. It killed me seeing you so upset all the time, and I really wanted to beat the fuck out of him, but I knew if I did, you'd probably end up actually hating me. So I did what I thought was best; I begged and pleaded with him to take you out on a date. And, believe it or not, that was when I learned about the first of his redeeming qualities. He told me he wouldn't do it, because he knew you weren't really in love with him, and anything the two of you did together would be hollow and meaningless. He also told me that his taking you out would be unfair to you, because you could never be the most important part of his life." Naruto sighed, a thin smile coming to his lips. "It was the first time he ever treated me like his equal. For all his shitty interpersonal skills, and his brooding avenger trip, deep, deep, deep down, beneath all the emotionally-crippled assholishness, there's a halfway decent guy."

Sakura was silent, unsure what to say. She felt sick; there had been Naruto, trying his hardest to make sure that she was happy, even trying to unite her with the man she had never really loved, despite how he himself felt. It broke her heart to think of the dejected face of a twelve-year-old blond boy, when his pink-haired teammate had said she hated him, or ditched him to run after the enigmatic black-haired boy. She could imagine his disappointment the day she had begged him to bring Sasuke back to her, and the feeling of remorse when he had returned without Sasuke and disappointed her. A thousand other similar events ran through her mind, leaving her speechless, with tears falling from her emerald eyes. "Oh, Naruto," she whimpered, wrapping her arms around his neck. "What on Earth did I ever do to deserve you?"

"Simple, Sakura-chan," Naruto replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You were always you." Sakura smiled, positioning herself so she could plant a passionate kiss on his parted lips. Her tongue probed the inside of his mouth, taking note of the flavor that was distinctly Naruto.

"I love you, Uzumaki Naruto,": Sakura mumbled against his lips, before returning to her explorations. After a moment, and much to her chagrin, Naruto broke away from her, his dazzling cerulean eyes sparkling as they observed her vibrant emerald ones.

"I love you too, Haruno Sakura," Naruto said, before tilting his head to claim her lips once again, though only briefly. "Now, I hate to ruin the moment, but we have unpacking to do, right? We should probably get to that, otherwise the whole day will be gone."

Sakura grinned mischievously, wriggling her hips against his and enticing a very pleasing reaction. "Fuck it," she said off-handedly. "We can unpack later." Before Naruto could protest, Sakura's lips had captured his, and suddenly, nothing else seemed to matter.

A/N: And there is chapter 13. A little shorter then the last one, but whatever. I hope you all enjoy it. I know I liked writing it. Although, I really think I'm pushing the bounds of the rating... Oh well. Read and review! Be nice! Next chapter will come soon!


	14. Prelude to a First Date

Disclaimer: Naruto is mine!  
Actually it isn't  
But I can dream, right?

First of all, there is one review I want to respond to. And I will do it in the form of a haiku.

Yo, Duh, what's the deal?  
If all you'll do is flame me  
Then please don't review.

To Vik, who thought it prudent to point out, if effect, that Sasuke wouldn't bother spending a significant amount of time trying to learn an attack because he'd have become lazy from being able to copy any attack he wants to, and if the Hidden Rock couldn't manage to copy the Rasengan during wartime, there's no chance Sasuke would be able to pull it off, I have one thing to say. I've read through every chapter released so far, several times for most of them. Let me pose this question to you; if Sasuke had become lazy in learning techniques why, when he had the chance to kill Naruto and master the Mangekyou Sharingan, did he choose instead to gain power over time by joining forces with Orochimaru? If you ask me, the lazy man would be the one who killed his friend to gain the power immediately. But that's just my opinion.

To the rest of you, thank you for your kind reviews. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm getting bitchy, but those two particular reviews pissed me off. So I commented on them. No big deal.

This chapter is going to deal with the events leading up to an event integral to the development of any new relationship; the first date. I do hope you all enjoy it.

To Hell With The Consequences  
by PHreek-Boi!

Chapter Fourteen - Prelude to a First Date

Naruto sighed, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he gazed in the bathroom mirror. Several days beard stubble decorated his chin, and it brought a slight smile to his face. Sakura had told him he would look good with a beard; of course, Naruto had immediately decided to grow one when he found out. He retrieved his toothbrush finally, reaching down to the edge of the sink where he had always kept the tube of toothpaste. He found it missing; even the little dried gob of toothpaste that had remained on the sink for the better part of five years had been scrubbed away. Indubitably Sakura's doing. Ever since she had officially moved in, Naruto had found that a lot of things were no longer in their traditional places. "Sakura-chan, where's my toothpaste?" Naruto asked finally, resigning himself to his fate.

"I threw the old tube out," Sakura replied. Along with the melodic strain of her beautiful voice, the smell of cooking bacon wafted in the bathroom, immediately causing Naruto's mouth to water. "There's a new tube in the medicine cabinet."

"Thanks, Sakura-chan." Naruto opened the small compartment, grinning when he realized she'd picked out his favorite flavor. He opened the fresh tube, squeezing a fair amount out onto the bristles of his well-used toothbrush. He regarded it thoughtfully for a moment before poking the grotesque utensil into his mouth.

He emerged from the bathroom a moment later, following the smell of fried bacon into the tiny kitchen. Sakura was in front of the ancient stove, keeping a close eye on the frying pan in front of her. The stove was a little bit fussy, to say the least, and the pink-haired girl was still coming to terms with it's eccentricities. Naruto trotted over to join her, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Having fun?" he asked, smirking.

"How do you cook anything on this stove?" Sakura asked, a scowl crossing her face. "No matter what I try to cook, it's burned on the outside and raw in the middle." She sighed, slamming the spatula down on the counter. "How did you ever survive with this thing?"

"I have a microwave," Naruto replied with a shrug. "And I eat a lot of instant cup ramen. And besides, I've lived here pretty well my entire life. I got used to it."

"Well, I hate it," Sakura pouted, glaring at the uncooperative appliance. "You need to talk to your landlord about getting a new one."

"Well, my landlord is Tsunade-baba. I'm sure if I talked to her about it, she'd set me up with a new stove." Naruto fished a piece of bacon out of the frying pan, cursing under his breath when he burned his fingers. He popped the strip into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "Although, right now, I'm pretty sure she has more important things on her mind."

"Yeah, I suppose you have a point." Sakura glared at the stove, finally turning it off. She sighed, looking dubiously about the tiny apartment. "You'd think as a jounin, not to mention an ANBU commander, you'd be able to afford a less crapholish apartment."

"It's all I've really needed. Like I said, I've lived on my own for pretty well my entire life, and I've never had to pay a cent in rent for this apartment. Most of my furniture and appliances came from the Third whenever he replaced something. Besides my clothes, the only things I've ever owned that were new when I got them are the microwave and the television Iruka-sensei gave me." Naruto's expression hardened when his thoughts shifted to his recently deceased friend. Sakura's heart cried out at the look of misery on her blond beau's face. She wanted to hold him, to heal the hurt ingrained so deeply in his heart, but she knew there wasn't much she could do. Instead she reached forward to grasp his hand, intertwining her smooth, slender fingers with his broad, calloused ones. "It doesn't matter. For the best part of seventeen years, I've made due with what I have. But I guess since it's the two of us now, we could look for something a little bit bigger." Sakura, who had been silent so far, smiled. She wrapped her arms around Naruto, leaning against his chest.

"I don't think I'm ready to give this place up," Sakura murmured, snuggling tighter into his chest. Naruto wrapped his arms around her in response, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I mean, it is your home, right? And we can fix it up some. Besides, it's cozy."

"You know, Sakura-chan, I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you," Naruto replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You're the greatest. We can make this place work for us, and it really shouldn't cost too much. I'll just have to clear everything with Tsunade-baba." Sakura grinned, stretching so she could plant a lingering kiss on the blond boy's lips. She moved to pull away, but Naruto drew her back, deepening the kiss.

After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was nowhere near long enough, Naruto finally pulled away from the pink-haired girl, a sly smile crossing his face. "We should go out tonight, Sakura-chan," he suggested. "I mean, we've been together for more then a week now, and we haven't been out on a real date yet. We kind of skipped the whole sweaty palms, lump in the throat awkward dating phase. I can't help but think we missed out on something."

"I know," Sakura agreed, resting her head against the blond boy's chest. "I guess, though, if you want to get technical, we've gone out a bunch of times. Remember the day you came back? You asked me if I'd go to lunch with you. It was the first time I agreed to go out with you." She smiled, sighing dreamily. "You looked so different that day. You barely looked at all like the blond moron I remembered. And up until you ruined the illusion by offereing to show Konohamaru your new perverted Jutsu, you were perpetuating the same sort of mystique I had always admired in Sasuke." Sakura flushed slightly, breaking free of Naruto's embrace. "When we ran into each other outside the ramen bar, the first thing I really noticed was that you were handsome. And after Kakashi-sensei ditched us, I agreed to go to lunch with you, because I was kind of hoping you'd ask." Sakura was silent for a moment, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I think I started falling in love with you, though, when you confided in me about the Kyubi. You trusted me enough to let me know your most guarded secret. That really meant something to me. It's a shame it took me this long to figure everything out." Naruto smiled, taking a seat on the worn brown sofa and pulling the love of his life down into his lap.She snuggled into him, taking comfort in her love's presense.

"Don't keep beating yourself up about it, Sakura-chan. It really doesn't bother me. All that really matters is that you and I are together now." Naruto smiled reassuringly at the girl, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I say leave the past where it belongs. In the past. I've long since forgiven you for anything you might have said or done to me. I love you, Sakura-chan. Nothing has, can, or ever will change that. I'm stubborn that way." Naruto grinned and winked at Sakura, and she giggled in response.

"You've always been that way," Sakura agreed softly. "But you wouldn't be my Naruto if you were any different. You probably would have relented and gone out with Hinata. All I know is, most guys wouldn't wait for a girl wh rejected them at first to come around. You really are one of a kind, Naruto."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot." Naruto grinned. "Anywho, you have yet to answer my question, Sakura chan. Do you want to go out with me tonight?" Sakura leaned back, gazing at the blond boy with a quirked eyebrow.

"What exactly are your intentions, Uzumaki?" Sakura teased. "You know I'm not the kind of girl who goes all the way on a first date. What could you possibly get out of this night?"

"The pleasure of your company," Naruto replied honestly. "I want to spend a night showing the woman I love that she is the most important person in the world, as far as I'm concerned." Sakura was speechless. And to think, a moment ago she had been certain that she couldn't fall any deeper into love with this blond boy. Finally, she let out a squeak, and flung her arms around his neck, pressing a long, indescribably passionate kiss to his lips.

"That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard!" Sakura replied, before kissing Naruto again. "Of course I'll go out with you. Just, no ramen bar, okay?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Naruto replied with a grin. "Sure, Ichiraku is my favorite place to eat, but it's not really the sort of place that springs to mind when one is trying to think of a romantic location to take his date." He shifted Sakura onto the couch next to him, and she latched onto his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll make sure this is a night to remember."

"You know, you really don't have to go through so much trouble," Sakura admitted, her fingers finding their way to Naruto's unruly golden locks. "You've already got me. And anything we do would be special."

"I don't want this night to be special, Sakura-chan," Naruto replied, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I want it to be unforgettable. You've given up a lot to be with me. Let me do this for you." Narito took a deep breath, then grinned at Sakura. "As much as I enjoy your company, I have some things to take care of before we go out tonight." Naruto stood, moving to retrieve his orange jacket. "I'll meet you at the bridge at five sharp, okay?"

"Okay," Sakura agreed with a grin. "I'll be there. And, just for you, I'll wear something sexy."

"Anything looks sexy on you, Sakura-chan," Naruto retorted, swooping in to claim a kiss before he disappeared out the door. Sakura flushed, then pulled on her sandals and raced out the door.

xxxxx

"So you're going out on your first date with Naruto tonight," Ino repeated, a frown settling on her lips. "But... didn't you sleep with him like a week ago? And a bunch of times times since then?"

"Yeah," Sakura replied, emerging from Ino's closet in a revealing hunter-green cocktail dress. "But he really wants me to have a good time tonight. I think it's entirely possible he's been planning this for the better part of the last five years." Sakura glanced at the full-lenth mirror, scrutinouly examining her appearance. She finally turned to face Ino. "What do you think?"

"I know it's my dress, and while I do love it, it makes you look like a call girl." Ino smiled at her friend, and Sakura stepped back into the closet. "So, it sounds like Naruto is pretty serious about you. I mean, he's already had a front seat to the main event, and he still wants you to feel like a queen. I know I may come off as rude sometimes, but I really think you hit the jackpot. You and Naruto are perfect for each other." Ino sighed, looking down at her hands. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what is it about Naruto you find most stimulating?" Sakura stuck her head out of the closet, a wicked grin crossing her face.

"That's a creative way of asking how he is in bed," Sakura replied matter-of-factly. Ino opened her mouth to protest, but Sakura interrupted before she could begin. "Don't try to deny it, Ino. I know you thought about it more then once, before you hooked up with Shikamaru. When he came back from training, you told me he was gorgeous. You crushed on him for almost a year."

Ino opened and closed her mouth several tiomes, but no sound came out. Finally she sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "So?" she pressed, after Sakura had been silent for a moment. "Are you going to tell me or what?" Sakura emerged from the closet in a knee-length black party dress. It was low-cut in the front, and as a result showed off quite a bit of cleavage. Sakura turned to admire herself in the mirror, a smile coming to her face after several seconds. "Well?" Ino almost shrieked.

"I think this is the one," Sakura replied, smirking at her friend. Ino crossed her arms, scowling at her pink-haired companion.

"You know what I mean," Ino growled, drumming her fingers on her arm.

"Calm down, I'm just kidding," Sakura said, smiling smugly at the blonde girl. "I don't have any prior experience to draw on, but when we made love for the first time, it blew my mind! It was absolutely, utterly amazing." She sighed dreamily. "And you want to know the best part? It gets better every time."

"It's not supposed to be mind blowing the first time!" Ino pouted. "It's supposed to be awkward, and kind of wierd. Why did you get fantastic, mind-blowing sex, and I get two awkward minutes? It isn't fair!"

"I didn't say it wasn't awkward. It was at first. Neither of us had a clue what we were doing, and I really didn't expect it'd be so painful. But when I adjusted, it got better. And it just... It felt so right. And it wasn't just the sex that made it amazing. It was all the emotions. There was love. There was need. There was pure, primal lust. All of that together was what made it so spectacular." Sakura looked at herself in the mirror again. "So, what about the dress?"

"Naruto will love it," Ino said with a grin. "Now come with me. We have to do your hair, not to mention your makeup. And I have a pair of shoes that will go perfectly with that dress."

xxxxx

"Okay, I think everything is taken care of," Naruto murmured, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Tsunade-baba got me a reservation at Sakura's favorite restaurant. Sometimes, I'm really glad I'm friends with the Hokage. She can get me almost anything. Everything is set at the Hokage monument. I ordered a bouquet of Sakura's favorite flowers that I'll pick up on my way to meet her, and I just picked up my suit from the tailor." Naruto grinned, turning to face his dark-haired companion. "I think I'm ready."

"I never spent this much effort on a date with Ino," Shikamaru sighed. "Actually, I never spent any effort planning a date with Ino. She always takes care of everything. Personally, I think it's because she's afraid I might actually want to do something fun."

"Knowing Ino, you're probably right," Naruto agreed, a grin coming to his face. "Hey, you want to go grab a bite? I haven't eaten anything since this morning."

"Alright," Shikamaru agreed reluctantly. "Just, not ramen. That's all Ino knows how to cook, and well, it gets old after a while." Naruto grinned, before starting at a brisk pace down a side street. Shikamaru paused for a moment, considering the possibility of asking his blond friend where he were headed. Instead, he opted to follow the boy without question. Oftentimes, it was nearly impossible to navigate Naruto's thoughts. Shikamaru had long since learned that it was best to just nod, and let whatever harebrained sceme Naruto had cooked up run it's course. So he followed, all the while wondering what hif friend had in store for them.

After several minutes, Naruto stopped outside of a decrepit building. "We're here," Naruto said, pulling the very crooked door open, with more then a little difficulty. "I came across this place just about a year ago. Mamoru-sama makes the best Udon in town, and she's famous for her barbecue pork bowls. Plus, her prices are the lowest in town. I know it doesn't look like much, but you'll enjoy yourself." Naruto entered the small building, gesturing for Shikamaru to follow. The dark haired boy hung back for a second, then sighed and followed his friend in.

The inside of the building was in considerably better shape then the outside. Several people were scattered about the quaint establishment, and a large, grey cat dozed on the only windowsill. The smell of Mamoru's cooking made both boys mouths water, so the each took a seat at the counter. Perhaps the most intruiging thing about the restaurant was the old woman who shuffled around the small food preperation area. She was no more then four feet tall, and her hair was as white as fresh snow. Her beady, pale blue eyes examined Naruto and Shikamaru scrutinously before a wide, toothless grin split her wrinkled face. "Hello there, Naruto!" she said, her voice surprisingly vibrant for somebody as old as she appeared to be. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are you? And who's your friend?"

"I'm doing alright, considering," Naruto replied. "Thank you for asking, Mamoru-sama. My friend here is Nara Shikamaru. I thought I'd bring him by for one of your world-famous pork barbecue bowls."

"It's a pleasure, Mamoru-sama," Shikamaru replied politely. Mamoru smiled warmly at him, reaching out to grasp the dark-haired boy's hands with her own.

"You're in for a treat, dear," Mamoru said, releasing his hands and busying herself at the small grill. "Years ago, people used to come from all over to eat at my restaurant. That was back before my husband passed away, god bless his soul. I ran the restaurant on my own after that for years." She filled two medium-sized bowls, then placed them in front of the two young men. "Of course, time wore on, and I got too old, so I closed the restaurant. That was twenty-five years ago. I set up shop here, where almost nobody knows where I am. I still get enough business to keep me sane, you know." Mamoru grinned. "But, enough talk. Your meals are getting cold. Go on, try it."

Shikamaru picked up his chopsticks, before fishing out a piece of pork. He looked at it dubiously before popping it into his mouth. A pleased expression crossed his face, and as a result Mamoru smiled. "It's very good," he said, smiling at the old woman.

"Told you," Naruto retorted triumphantly. After the two had finished their meal, Naruto fished out his wallet.

"It's on the house, Naruto," Mamoru said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Just promise you'll come by more often. Both of you." Shikamaru nodded solemnly.

"Deal," Naruto said, reaching out to shake the old woman's hand.

xxxxx

Naruto slowed to a stop out in front of his apartment building, his jaw hanging slack as he beheld the sight before him. "Sakura-chan, you look... Wow." Sakura was dressed in a black dress he was sure hadn't come out of her closet, and her long, pink hair was wrapped up in a french twist. Naruto stared, dumbstruck, until she gilggled.

"I take t you like," Sakura teased, and Naruto flushed. "You look pretty good yourself." Naruto was dressed in a tan leisure suit, over a black turtleneck. His forehead protector was missing, and he had done his best to make his rebellious hair behave.

"I'm glad you like it," Naruto grinned. He offered his arm to Sakura, and she took it with a smile. "Shall we go, milady? Our dinner reservation is in fifteen minutes."

"We shall," Sakura said. "Lead on, MacDuff." With that, they were on their way, neither knowing what the night would bring.

A/N: I bet you were wondering when this would come out. Well, here it is. And it's the longest chapter yet. It may not be as good as some previous chapters, but whatever. And don't worry, there's still a lot more to come. Read, review, enjoy. I love you all!


End file.
